The Hijacking of Hermione Granger
by Plastraa
Summary: Draco Malfoy has FINALLY come into his Veela Inheritance, Hermione Granger isn't impressed. It will be up to Draco to change her opinion.
1. One Step Forward Two Steps Back

The Highjacking of Hermione Granger: A different sort of Veela Story. 

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter nor any of his universe. The Veela idea comes from Frizzy's Magnetic Attraction, which of course is the Mother of all Veela Fics. A classic, thank you Frizzy! Long may she Reign. :) 

I have been INTO the Veela thing the last week or so and hadn't seen a Draco/Hermione one.....if anyone has read one I would love to see it! :)

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Chapter One: One Step Forward and Two Steps Back

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In his room in the west tower of Hogwarts School of Wizardry, Arithmancy Professor Draco Malfoy was lying on his bed. His eyes were closed and the moonlight was shining off his luminescent skin, giving him an otherworldly glory. 

To a casual observer it would have appeared that he was merely sleeping, so even was his breathing, but no indeed Draco Malfoy was anything but contented. His body might be lying quiescent on the bed but his mind was sending out tendrils of feeling searching the world over for the one thing he wanted, nay needed! 

Draco Malfoy had finally come into his Veela Inheritance. It was somewhat of a shock, even perhaps an embarrassment in certain circles, that at the age of 27 he was finally hitting his majority, well in Veela terms. The inheritance usually manifested itself at a far younger age. 

Draco's mother Narcissa had thought long ago that perhaps the amount of the "blood" in him wouldn't be enough to foster the change. But even though, it hadn't manifested itself in her, a cousin of her same generation had gone quite wild and sadly lost his life when he had had the misguided belief that his true mate was a 300 year old whomping willow tree. But none of those things really mattered right now to Draco, if they ever had, to begin with. He was in the first throes of Veela Enchantment and it was all he could do to teach the idiot children in his classes, let alone worry about family skeletons. 

He cast his feelings out like a fisherman's lines, checking the thousands of "spots" that felt like his mate. He would spin his mind out toward those places then slowly drag back through the bulk of human souls looking for the one that would trigger, in him, the response of completion! His body had started with recognition on more than one occasion, but the person found was not right in some way and he would send his mind searching again and again. So far he had found himself casting about into most corners of the world, but always something wouldn't be right. 

Every night for three months now he had lain in this same position searching until exhaustion had forced him to sleep. And for three months now he had awoken more bad tempered than the day before. The students were now more frightened of (albeit attracted to) Professor Malfoy than they were of Professor Snape, a thing, that in his more lucid moments Draco relished. If he couldn't be happy then why should the sniveling little brats? 

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Half way around the world standing at a podium, in an huge auditorium, in front of hundreds of the best minds in the Wizarding world was Hermione Granger, former schoolmate and childhood antagonist of the aforementioned Professor Malfoy.

The hush in the huge auditorium was complete. Not only could one have heard a pin drop in this silence, but also have heard the very naughty words pins invariably utter when finding themselves thrown onto hard wood floors. 

All eyes were on Hermione, and it was clear she was very much in her element. Her brown eyes shone with excitement and her frizzled hair stood from her head in tufts as if she had stuck her finger in a very large electrical socket, (not that wizards used sockets mind you) but it wasn't her indisputably 'good looks' that made the room at large hang onto her every word, it was the words themselves...

"And so we can see Ladies and Gentleman that through this clear pattern of events, coincidental muggle and wizard history is anything BUT coincidental!" She ended her speech with triumph. The group gave way to spontaneous applause, rising to their feet as one. Hermione stood and acknowledged their praise of her for a few minutes before she was bustled from the stage and pushed down a long hall toward a smaller room. Inside the room stood her agent Theodosia Gurgling.

"YOU were wonderful! Dahling, the best I have ever heard you! Fantastic." She said as she embraced Hermione and gave her the fake 'kiss, kiss on each cheek' routine. Hermione was familiar enough with the whole thing that she was able to laugh and settle herself comfortably at a table that was in the middle of the room. In minutes the room would be filled with Wizards who would want to know all about her theories and possibly have her sign their copy of her new book....and speaking of books, stacked on the table, were dozens of copies of "Proffessor Hermione Granger's Theory of Relatives and Relativity as it Relates to Wizard and Muggle Relations" On the back of each book the picture of her, was waving and smiling in a somewhat shy but smug fashion. Hermione patted her hair absent mindedly and nodded to Theodosia. This was her least favorite part of the tour, and her agent's favorite. Hermione loved standing before her wizarding peers imparting her knowledge to them, but she hated the meet and great sessions that Theodosia insisted were paramount for her becoming a really famous Wizard, up to and "hopefully surmounting even the great Professor Lockheart!" Theodosia's words not hers, after all Hermione knew the truth about Lockheart! 

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With a sigh, Draco cast out again, following that small niggling that he always got in his mind whenever he had found any of his "almost" mates. He stretched forth and found himself speeding along a strange conduit, the speed at which his mind was traveling wasn't something that had ever happened before. A light started behind his closed eyelids and his heart started beating so quickly that it could be seen visibly pounding against the pulse in his neck. His Veela instincts touched the mind of the other and Draco instinctually called out at the pain pleasure of the sensation. Then he was hurtling back toward his body elated, he had found her! And she would be coming home, to Hogwarts, to him. A smile shaped his lips and he turned his head against his pillow and slept as he hadn't in months. 

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Hermione smiled and began making small comments and signing books, but her mind was suddenly drawn away to Hogworts and her youth, and her best friends Ron and Harry. A feeling flowed through her, and the sharp pang of homesickness filled her stomach. The rest of the evening passed in a blur. For the first time in over a year her mind wasn't completely filled with Muggle and Wizard relations.

Two days later found Hermione Granger in a private apartment aboard the famous Hogworts Express, an invitation from Professor Dumbledore safely tucked away in her bags, a very cranky Crookshanks grumbling inside his magical cat carrying case and a furious Theodosia Grumbling on the station platform. Hermione leaned back in her seat, and sighed. She was finally going back home to Hogworts! 

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Draco was stalking around Headmaster Dumbledore's office with a large smile playing across his usually sneering mouth. He had smiled so much the last week that the students had found themselves vacillating between abject fear and wanting to pounce upon their Professor. 

"Explain this Mr. Malfoy." Dumbledore waved a piece of parchment in front of his face. Draco looked questioningly at Dumbledore.

"Yes Draco of course I issued her an invitation." Draco let out the breath that he had been holding and reached out to take the parchment from Dumbledore. As he had thought, it was a letter from Hermione talking about how she missed Hogwarts. Draco touched it and a frisson of sensation passed up his forearm. He raised the letter to his face and breathed deeply, opening his mouth slightly, like a cat so that the scent could roll over the receptors on the roof of his mouth. His sigh filled the room.

"You cannot kidnap your mate Draco, no matter how much you want to be with her." Dumbledore was looking at him with none of the usual twinkle in his eyes. 

"Pish-tosh, kidnap? I haven't done any such thing, I am here and she is..." he trailed off, because his next words could have been a BIT damning. He didn't dare say that Hermione was on her way here because he had used his Veela allure to stir in her a desire to come to Hogwarts...but even that couldn't be considered kidnapping, per se. Could it?

"OK then what is this all about?" Dumbledore passed over a copy of The Daily Prophet, there on the front page was the news that Professor Hermione Granger had cancelled the remainder of her world book signing tour due to "personal reasons." In the picture stood a determined looking Hermione. Draco only slightly noticed the scowling woman at her side and the fact that they were quite forcibly arguing with each other. Hermione hadn't changed much since school, she was taller of course but she remained much the same as Draco remembered her. Hair frizzed out, bright eyes burning with intelligence, rather prudish mode of dress, not much figure to speak of.....MERLIN'S BEARD but she was the loveliest thing he had ever seen. A wave of jealously gripped his stomach, she must drive the men wild. He crushed the newspaper in his grip and whirled toward the headmaster. 

"I am meeting her train!" He growled.

"Sit down Professor Malfoy." The old wizard's tone was quite stern, shaking Draco out of his irrational behavior. 

Draco sat and looked at his hands, which were clenched into fists on his knees. 

"So you haven't kidnapped her? Fair enough, but you have meddled in her career, do you think she will be happy with that Draco? You know to Hermione Granger work and study are paramount. My boy, you need to THINK." Dumbledore was back to his usual eye twinkling self, and Draco knew quite well that the amusement was aimed in his direction. 

Draco felt the bottom drop out of his stomach and put his head in his hands. He had done the one thing certain to alienate his mate. He had Hijacked Hermione Granger! 

"Headmaster...." he trailed off rather pathetically. 

"Well Draco she is on her way, there is little you can do. How long after she arrives do you think it will be before she figures out your secret. The school is well aware that you have finally reached your Veela Inheritance. Won't it appear odd that every child over 14 is having Anti-Charms potion administered to them on a daily basis? Hermione is a smart witch my friend, I _THINK_ she will notice." His smile was unmistakable now. 

Draco wasn't sure what his options were. There was every chance that when she found out she would leave and never come back. If only he had spent a little thought on things he would have asked for a leave from school and gone to her and courted her. But he had been so overcome with finding her that he hadn't thought of anything but being near her. He had always been a selfish man and now that selfishness could be his downfall. 

"I will allow you to pick her up from the train station, your only hope might be to tell her before she finds out, and hope that she will give you a chance." 

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Draco had been pacing along the platform for what seemed hours. His stomach so knotted that he could scarcely breathe. His robes swirled around his ankles and his hair was ruffled by the continuous running of his hands through it. 

All of a sudden the train whistle could be heard down the track, and it took everything he had not to bolt and run back to Hogwarts and hide in his tower. The old familiar engine came into view the steam rising from the stack making round gray puffs in the sky. 

The train's brakes clamped onto the metal track and the train squealed to a slow stop. There was one more puff of steam from the engine and the train doors began to open. The stop wasn't a busy one, just servicing

Hogwarts and Hogsmeade area. 

A group of four older Witches let themselves off the train and looked in Draco's direction. He tampered down his Veela Attractions as best he could, he didn't need any unwanted attention today. They moved on past, with bright smiles.

A mother and small boy exited from a car a bit down the track, and walked off. Draco scanned the rest of the crowd but no Hermione. Time seemed to stand still, why was it taking so long, if she didn't appear soon he would be running from car to car yelling her name. He needed to get a grip on himself!

Finally three cars down a tall gangly Wizard wearing bright yellow robes stepped from the train and reached back to help hand Hermione down. She had a flush to her cheeks that told him the tall wizard had been flattering her in some way. Draco didn't like it, not at all, not even a little bit. In fact he could feel his fingers tightening around his wand and had it partially pulled from his robe's pocket when Hermione noticed him standing there. 

The happy flush on her face disappeared as if a hand had wiped it away. The wizard with her looked over his shoulder to see what had caused the change in her expression. Whatever he saw on Draco's face made him make a hasty excuse and leave Hermione on the platform. 

"What are you doing here Malfoy?" The way she said his name made his heart flip flop in despair. 

"Obviously to meet your train _Granger_!" He returned and then wanted to punch himself in the stomach, making snide remarks to a woman wasn't the way to her heart. (which makes it hard to explain the way the women seemed to swoon over Snape...hmmm...Oh well no time to think about that right now) 

"Oh." Was her only response. 

"Do you only have the one bag?" Draco pointed to her small case by her feet, it looked as though she wouldn't be staying long. How unfortunate for him. 

"Yes, just this one case and of course Crookshanks." She indicated the cat carrying case in her hand, where the big red cat was glaring out at him. Yes, well the feeling was mutual, Draco hated cats! 

"The carriage is over there, I will get this." Draco leaned down and lifted her bag and off they went to find the carriage. 

Draco followed Hermione for a moment trying to school his expression. Being this near her had brought a goofy smile unbidden to his lips, and he was having a very hard time squashing it. 

As they neared the carriage Draco moved forward to open the door for Hermione and attach her case to the back. 

Once inside Draco couldn't find a way to start a conversation, they both sat quietly for a moment. The rumble of the wheels making the carriage sway a tiny bit. Hermione's leg brushed against his, and his Veela side was soaring at the contact, it was a heady experience being this near his mate. He was still trying to tamper his own allurements so as not to make her feel later as though he had taken advantage of her, his original "sending" for her would already be mistake enough! He didn't relish admitting that, let alone if he unleashed his Veela charms on her. 

Being this close was very hard and with each sway of the carriage and unconscious touch of Hermione a jolt went through him. His fingers folded themselves into fists, the nails digging into his palms, hoping the pain would be enough to keep him from leaning over her...touch her...place his lips to the pulse point on her neck...he shuddered at the direction his thoughts were taking.

The scent of her inflamed his senses, he knew the grin was back. He wanted to gather her into his arms and tangle his fingers in that hair, that frizzy sweet smelling......

"BLOODY HELL Malfoy, did you just _sniff_ me!"

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TBC?

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Well there you are folks the first installment.


	2. Dance of Denial

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: See chapter 1

A/N OK, I think when I started this fiction I was running under the misapprehension that everyone and their dog had read loads of Veela fics and thus would be all too aware of what was going on here...but considering some of the emails I have gotten, I can now, only assume that I was wrong. I could go all School Marm on you and give you Lesson: Veela's 101, but I think I shall just tell you to go to Frizzy's profile. Since this type of ficcie originated itself with her, she has information on what a "Veela" is. OR you can just read and I will do my bit of explaining as I go along. :)

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Chapter 2: Dance of Denial

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"Sniff you? Pshaw!" Draco made a derisive snort in the back of his throat. "Please! Really Hermione, why on earth would _I _do something like that? It's ridicu....Ok, yes FINE, I did actually." He waved a dismissive hand and looked over at Hermione. 

She had pushed herself up as far against the door to the carriage as she could get and her back was ramrod straight, she tried the NOT making eye contact thing for a while, but since Draco could seem to do nothing _but_ look at her, she finally gave in. Draco drank her in, from her sensible 2 inch heeled shoes to the way her modest navy robes rode up a bit on her leg, showing him just a hint of kneecap, and to the frizzled hair that had so captured his attention moments ago. All of it added up to Hell for Draco Malfoy. What was she trying to do KILL him or something? It felt like someone had taken their hand and clenched it around his heart, so moved was he by the sight of her incomparable beauty. 

No woman had a right to be this alluring, to smell this good, to look so.....Damn! He was leaning in again and from the look on Hermione's face it wasn't appreciated. 

They were nearing the school and he still hadn't broached the subject of his Veela Inheritance, with her. He needed to couch it in very attractive terms, he needed to be delicate, and careful in what he said. He was going to have to tread very lightly indeed with Ms. Granger, his whole future happiness depended upon that smooth Malfoy way with words! 

He cautiously opened his mouth..."Hermione, I am a Veela and you are my Mate!" He nodded and smiled, held his arms out to accentuate his words. 

There he had said it! 

Yeah, Yeeeaaahhh....there he had said it alright in the most bald unattractive way that someone could say something like this. 

Hermione's face took on an ashen appearance and she turned her head toward the window. 

SHITE, had he just said that? He seemed to be unable to control his tongue, or the way his mind was wandering to the smooth skin between the knuckles on her hands, would her skin be that smooth other places? 

Hermione hadn't said a thing. He had either stunned her so much that she was at a loss for words, or she was so furious with him that she didn't WANT to talk to him. Either option pushed the knife farther into his heart. A quiet Hermione was NOT a good thing! 

"Ok, I can imagine what you are thinking. Well, I can't really, _imagine_, imagine...but well, alright...what I was going to....Uh....Yeah, I mean I did "call" you to Hogwarts, _to me _and everything, BUT you will notice I have tampered down my Veela attractions so that you can just fall for me in your own time, naturally, no hurry or anything...and...." He trailed off hopelessly, his disjoined speech obviously not impressing the woman of his dreams, he couldn't even remember half of what he had said. This Veela stuff was making him feel like he was fourteen again, he couldn't even form sentences anymore. (So much for the famous Malfoy way with words.)

Maybe better just to let it lie for a while, let her soak it all in. Not say anything more until he could get a hold of himself...but honestly, in his defense, was it fair that her nose should have that tiny little freckle on it like that? Or that her eyelashes should be so long? Well?

The carriage rolled to a stop and Draco sprinted out and ran around the back to open the door on Hermione's side for her. A bit of damage control, be the gentleman. Couldn't hurt. 

Alas all he saw when he rounded the back of the carriage was an open door. 

Turning he could see that Hermione was already swiftly making her way up the stairs toward the door to the main hall. He couldn't say that she was running, exactly. Though, In her haste to remove herself from Draco's presence, her bag and Crookshanks were forgotten. He got the bag from the back of the carriage and picked up Crookshanks (ignoring all the hissing.)

A very subdued Draco Malfoy made his way inside, ALONE. He had imagined that perhaps they would enter Hogwarts and retire to his apartments, not to be seen for days until Dumbledore had to send out a hunting party of House Elves to locate them...Obviously nothing was going according to plan. 

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Merlin! What in the world just happened back there? Hermione was at a loss to understand the usually cool and smooth Malfoy acting like an imbecile. He hadn't had some sort of brain injury or fever or something, had he? She thought she would have heard if anything of that nature had occurred to the Heir of the Malfoy fortunes. 

The glaring on the station platform, the sniffing, the telling her he was a Veela, up to his disjointed sentences, all pointed to one thing! A joke played on her. She looked around to see if Ron or Harry were indeed in residence, hiding somewhere waiting to jump out and tease her. She would kill them if they put Malfoy up to something like this, but what other answer could there be? 

Putting the last half hour's craziness from her mind she spun around, everything was just as she remembered it. Ahhh...This was why she was here. This was home. She felt safe. A smile lit her face as she made her way to the great hall to see who she could find. 

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ASIDE FROM AUTHOR: Denial is a nice place, because in it you can throw inconsistencies like Draco Malfoy doing ANYTHING that Harry or Ron would ever want. And in that state of denial it all sounds completely reasonable! 

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It was past the noon hour and there were but a few students and Professors left in the Great Hall when Hermione entered it. Three young girls all wearing Gryffindor colors walked past her, they were talking and giggling together happily. Hermione smiled at them as they moved on by. One of them, a short dark haired girl turned back and stopped. Before Hermione could react the girl was running toward her. 

"Professor Granger?" She inquired in a loud voice.

"Yes?" Hermione looked down at the girl who was so small she had to be a first year. 

"Are you THE Professor Granger? The one who wrote the books about Muggle and Wizard Relations?" Her little face was aglow with excitement.

"Yes, I am." 

"I love your books, I want to be a Muggle/Wizard Specialist when I get older. I own every one you have written, will you sign them for me?" She beamed.

"Certainly." Before Hermione could ask her name, the girl was running toward the door, oblivious to her friends and to the Professor entering the hall.

"No running, Ms. Haroldson. Five points from Gryffindor!" Professor Snape's sneering voice made Hermione cringe. She had been on the receiving end of those snide comments so many times, that even now, as an adult, it was difficult to feel completely comfortable, with his dark eyed gaze upon her. 

"So, Ms. Granger. The world famous author back at Hogwarts." He strolled up to her, gave a slight smile and held out his hand in greeting. Hermione found herself looking at it in shock for a moment.

"I am not going to bite, Ms. Granger, I save _all_ that for my students." His dark eyes suddenly reminded her of the headmaster's, twinkling with humor. Well as much good humor as Severus Snape was capable of showing.

"Hello Professor." She tentatively smiled and took his proffered hand. 

"Has the headmaster seen you yet?" He questioned, still holding her hand in his grasp.

"No, I have just arrived." 

"Well we must remedy that, mustn't we? Let me see...perhaps Lupin will know." There was a bit of a sneer at the name.

He released her hand and strode off. Not sure what to do exactly Hermione stayed where she was and simply looked around the great hall. She remembered her first meal here, after her triumphant (to her) sorting into Gryffindor, as well her last meal here, the one right before the graduation ceremony, and every meal in between. Why on Earth had it taken her so long to come back here again? 

Snape was talking to someone, and it wasn't until he turned around that Hermione finally made the name Lupin register in her mind. Remus Lupin! She hadn't seen him in two years and that had been at Harry's wedding. How delightful!

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Draco entered the great hall to the sight of Remus Lupin BOUNDING toward Hermione Granger. (His, Draco's, Hermione Granger!)

Draco Malfoy had always gotten what he wanted, and now that his Veela side had finally manifested itself, that selfish streak had focused itself on one thing. HIS MATE! He wanted to get down on the floor and slam his hands and feet onto it in a temper tantrum and yell... MINE, MINE, MINE! He wanted to smash Remus Lupin through the wall and hex him three ways till Sunday! He wanted to.......a low growl filled his chest and he had to slowly count to one million, TEN was clearly NOT going to cut it at this point. 

He set the cat carrier and Hermione's bag onto the floor, never once breaking his concentrated watching of the "good as dead" Remus Lupin horning in on HIS Territory, Hermione in case there was any question on the matter! A glare marred his features as he saw her smiling that welcoming Hermione smile at the DADA Professor. He hadn't gotten that smile from her, the petulant little boy side of him insisted. 

Remus leaned in and gave Hermione a quick hug and turned her around so he could see her all grown up. 

Damn that werewolf freak all to Hell and back! Why can't he just stick to his OWN woman, shouldn't that red haired ex-weasel be around here somewhere? Maybe he should put a little bug in her ear about her _husband's _activities. Running around pawing other people's mates. Hmph!

Draco was not happy, not happy at all. 

He stood by the door, glowering at Remus, thinking....'Don't touch!...No...don't even look!'(1)

He was going to have a melt down! In about 3.1 seconds he was going to seriously become unglued, and then it would be all over but for the shouting. He took one of those in the through the nose out through the mouth breaths and almost passed out with the amount of oxygen he managed to suck into his lungs. He saw lights for a moment and thought he was going to fall over. By the time he was able to see again, Hermione and Lupin were walking past him on the way out the door. 

Remus's "Draco" seemed a bit highhanded and Hermione simply refused to even look in his direction!

He stood with his hands by his side breathing deeply and tossing some affirmations around in his mind. He was a good wizard, He was wealthy, He came from a good family, He was attractive, He was intelligent...He was so bloody attractive and intelligent that he could have ANY woman he wanted Damn it! 

"Professor." A voice drew him out of his glaring aimlessly into space, to glare aimlessly instead at the girl standing in front of him. She was weighed down with large hard backed books, obviously much too heavy for her, her back bowed by the weight. Hmph, bloody Gryffinder! 

His eyes narrowed. 

"Yes Haroldson?" His tone became as snarky as Snape's had ever been. 

"Have you seen Professor Granger, she was going to autograph my books." The girl gave a tentative smile.

Draco looked down at her, had he seen Granger? Had he seen her? Oh yes he had bloody well seen her, strolling out of here like some scarlet women in sensible shoes! 

"Fifty points from Gryffindor...for...for....FOR, trying to ruin your posture!" And with that, he quit the hall, leaving behind him, a startled first year, and an ornery orange cat. (still in its cat carrier! Forget elves how about a cat liberation movement, huh?) 

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If Draco stood on a chair, with the "Hogwarts, Revised History" (the one with Harry's defeat of the Dark Lord in it, unabridged version) on the seat, and stood JUST so, leaning toward the window at about a thirty degree angle he could see her perfectly. 

Hermione Granger might be Muggle born but she was one of the smartest Witches in the Wizarding World. Dumbledore couldn't get her working fast enough it seemed. She was out on the west side of the castle showing a group of forth years how to "accio" a bunch of autumn leaves and twigs off the lawn.

She had her hair shoved up into a red knitted cap, and was wearing an ancient pair of walking shoes that could be seen under the hem of her ankle length black robes. A scarf of Gryffinder colors was wound loosely around her neck. She would look better in green and silver Draco thought. (personal preference)

The students were "calling" the leaves and twigs to themselves, then tidying them into neat piles. Draco assumed they were to be magicked away later, by Hagrid. And would be used to feed the groundskeeper's new crop of Glosper Crasps, strange insect like creatures with the snout of a pig and the propeller of a Muggle prop plane for a tail. 

He watched from his precarious position, as she 'accio-ed' a group of leaves to herself. If only he could "accio" her! Accio, Hermione Granger. He felt an evil grin slide over his features as he imagined her coming hurtling toward him. A positively nasty little snigger escaped his lips. 

Looking over his shoulder he could see 15 pairs of eyes trained on him. Little Blighters! 

He turned around slowly, lowering himself to the ground as he went. The back, of his robe, flowing off the chair and settling itself around his feet. He glared at his class of third years, Slytherin and Ravenclaw mixed, Arithmancy class. 

"Well? Back to work, before I start deducting!" Even the Slytherin's knew better than to ask. He had been taking points willy nilly this week, no quarter given for house allegiance. 

Professor Malfoy was starting to make The (former) Dark Lord Voldemort look like Father Christmas in temperament! 

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Hermione was sitting at the head table in between Professors Snape and Dumbledore. Draco from his place at the end of the table, made no pretense what so ever of not watching them. He had moved his chair around to the end so he could better glare at the Damned-Slytherin-Greasy-Git of a Potions Master. 

Draco had never noticed how much he hated Severus until this very moment. In the past he had harbored "almost" warm feelings toward his former professor. He had felt toward him as one would toward a father, of sorts. 

The Veela's derisive chuckle brought the eyes of Professor Sprout, to his. She was sitting to his direct left and at his pointed look back, immediately began eating. She had been giving him a wide berth and hadn't tried to make any conversation, old bat! He returned his gaze to his Mate. She was laughing up at the Headmaster, in an almost coquettish fashion, and the old wizard was twinkling down at her in a most undignified manner. 

Merlin! Was no man safe from her charms, Dumbledore was at least three thousand years old, AT LEAST, and still he couldn't be trusted. No one could be trusted. No one in this whole ruddy place could be trusted farther than Draco could hex them. Everyone was suspect, they were ALL trying to steal Hermione from him. Well it wouldn't work, she was HIS! He glowered around the great hall meeting eyes with half a dozen students. All of whom, he was happy to say, looked terrified! 

Hermione's laughter filtered down the table to him and he could stand it no longer. With a curse and a swirl of robes he was across the hall and out the door before anyone could do a thing. An uneasy silence filled the room at his abrupt exit.

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Hermione's heart had started beating triple time when she had seen him rise. He was acting so strangely that she no longer thought this some joke that he was playing on her. She had been at the school long enough to recognize the truth of what he had told her in the carriage. But she still was not ready to admit that she believed any of it, at all. 

Dumbledore patted her hand, and shrugged. She tried to smile but for some reason she felt unable to force her lips to obey. If only she could time turn herself back to last week and just apparate herself off the face of the Earth. 

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'.....Sense of smell, being the paramount sense. Once the Veela's mate is identified the one of Veela blood can become moody and erratic until the bonding has taken place. It should be noted that there is not room for negotiation, once the mate has been identified, the Veela senses and attractions will become focused upon that one person. Veelas do not change mates, nor can they. They bond only once, and for a lifetime. It should also be noted that the one of Veela blood should be carefully watched and monitored during this very stressful time. If they are, at any time, uncertain of their attractiveness to their mate they have been known to react dangerously.' Hermione slammed the book shut and groaned. Why me? Why, why, why? Her head hit the desk each time she said the word in her mind. 

A week ago she had been on the top of the world, now she felt as if she was in some kind of Muggle horror movie! To her there really couldn't be a worse case scenario, this about did it. The mate, for ALL TIME to Draco Bloody Malfoy! 

She lifted her head up from the desk and noticed Ginny had come into the library. The younger witch was watching Hermione with something akin to amusement on her freckled features. 

"You better not be smirking at me Ginny Weasley!" Hermione threatened.

"Not Weasley anymore my friend, and why would I be smirking?" She came toward Hermione and embraced her. 

"I was so excited when Remus told me you were here, I told Ron and Luna that I would just have to visit them later. I don't get to see you much! How was the book tour?" Ginny finally wound down and Hermione smiled for the first time that day. 

"It has been too long. I haven't seen you since Harry's wedding. How are things here? Do you like living at Hogwarts?" Hermione and Ginny left the library. The books, that Hermione had been reading, lying forgotten on the desk. 

"Of course I love it here...Hermione..."She turned to her friend. 

"Remus told my why you are back." The red head gave her a sympathetic look.

Hermione rolled her eyes. 

"He told you? Well he knows more than I do, I still haven't figured it out myself." They had reached the staff lounge and went inside and sat down in armchairs in front of a cheerfully blazing fire. 

"Hermione, its not Draco's fault you know? He has NO control over who his mate is. Because of his age, no one even thought he would come into his Inheritance. If any one had had any idea that we was to be a 'late bloomer' the Headmaster wouldn't have had him teaching until he had bonded. You may think he is acting strangely..." At Hermione's look Ginny chuckled. 

"OK, Ok he is acting strangely, but Madam Pomfrey and myself, now that I am back, will be keeping an eye on him to make sure the stress is not too much for him. Honestly you would be surprised at how much restraint he is capable of exhibiting. Really! If you knew the things his senses were encouraging him to do, you would be amazed at his self control..." Seeing that her clinical observations of Draco "predicament" weren't actually making Hermione feel better, Ginny trailed off. 

"What I mean is...well, give him a chance! Its not as if you can change what IS. You are his mate Hermione!" The phrase sent a chill into the room. This was so unfair! 

"I don't want to be anyone's mate Ginny! I am quite happy being myself, taking care of myself. I have my work. Its so important to me Ginny, its important to the Wizarding community. How can I give that up?" Her voice was filled with despair.

"Why should you have to give up anything? I am married but I continue to do my life's work. You can too, I am sure." 

Ginny sounded so sure, but Hermione wasn't. She couldn't be sure of anything especially that Draco Malfoy....or rather THE Veela Draco Malfoy, would allow her to travel the world doing her studies. The Veela nature was jealous and possessive, it was inherent to the race. And all that was IF she was interested in being his mate, in the first place, which she clearly wasn't!

Hermione sighed and turned the conversation to other things.

******************************************************

Back in the library's restricted section Draco was bent over the same book that Hermione had been reading. Attuned to her scent, he held the book as if it were a precious thing. This was the closest that he had gotten to her since she had been back at Hogwarts.

She always left the room if he entered it, she wouldn't even look at him anymore. His heart felt as if it were breaking. He didn't know how much longer he could go on like this. The pain that ripped through his chest kept him awake nights, so that he only found solace walking the halls barking at students, taking points and assigning detentions. Snape had informed him, only that morning, that he (Snape) already had the cleanest supply rooms of any potions master in the world, so could Draco kindly stop sending the idiot children to him!

Draco, pulled the book to his face and inhaled. At least the scent of his mate had the ability to calm him, if only momentarily. 

*****************************************************

"You can't ignore him forever Hermione." Dumbledore motioned her to sit down across from him. 

"I can try." 

The Headmaster let out a chuckle. "You are more alike than you think." He put up a hand to stop Hermione from disagreeing with him.

"No, my child you are. You are both intelligent, good wizards, and stubborn!" Hermione felt her hackles rise. 

She wasn't stubborn! Was it stubbornness that stopped her from falling into Draco Malfoy's waiting Veela arms, and become another idiot in a long line of idiots to fall in love with the blonde's good looks? Just because she wasn't going to let him con her into believing she was his mate did that mean she was stubborn?

"What if there's a mistake? How can I know I really am his mate?" 

"Hermione, you have the books, you have studied this, you know there are never mistakes with the Veela's instincts. If Draco has designated you as his mate, then that is what you are." Dumbledore did that twinkling thing that he did so well, but Hermione wasn't really in the mood to be charmed into his way of thinking.

"Professor...what about...well..." She leaned in close and whispered, "Whomping Willow." 

"Ahhh, yes there is that. But no one can deny that there wasn't really enough time to find out if that match would have worked or not." He stroked a hand through his beard in thought. 

Another piece of strange logic to add to the rest. 

Hermione felt her stomach cramp, and she had a terrible sinking feeling that someday, soon, she would find herself leg shackled to Draco Malfoy, whether she liked the idea or not! 

*********************************************************

(1) That is my Spinal Tap reference, I put it in there for my best mate. It seemed to fit.

Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed thus far, I appreciate you all very much, especially in light of the fact that I was thinking that I might be the only person interested in a Draco/Hermione Veela fic!

There are some great fics out there...you all should be reading....Spaced out Space Cadet's "Hogwarts Reunion" 

Also Fluff has written a Bachelor type ficcie that is pretty fun.

And last but not least, (in fact, always at the top of my list) is Arbitrary's "Temporary Insanity" 

  
So go forth and read and until next time folks have a spiff one! Happy Thanksgiving to the American readers out there! Eat a piece of pumpkin pie for me! :)


	3. Let the Games Begin

Disclaimer: In Chapter 1

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Chapter 3: Let the Games Begin.

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It was too early to wake. She knew this, because there wasn't even any sunlight piercing through her eyelids. Never the less, Hermione stretched lazily and opened her eyes, only to shoot up out of bed. What in the world had happened here? The nice cozy guest room in which she had been staying was now a real live (well live, you know) shrine to Draco Malfoy. How had he done it?

Every wall was covered with pictures of the annoying Veela that was supposed to be her mate. There was not one inch of wallpaper showing. From huge posters down to the tiniest thumbnail sized, all the "Draco Malfoys" were watching Hermione Granger and smiling. 

Thought bubbles were popping up every now and again, asking questions such as..."Is she our mate?" "Will she bond with us?" Some were enchanted to spout love sonnets, others just made outrageous leering gestures at her in her night time attire. 

It took her twenty minutes of frenzied work to get them all down. Once they were all piled on her bed she had no idea what to do with them. Then an imp of evilness perched itself upon her shoulder and she gathered the pictures into a large armful. Sneaking out of her room, she headed down the dark halls, humming a tuneless song. 

*************************************************

Five minutes into the first class of the day and already Draco was ready for lunch. Not the food so much as the break from the students. So far three children had cried, and for reasons quite unknown to him. He had almost hexed a fourth and his head was pounding to the rhythm of the scritching of quills. None of this boded well for his day. A long sigh, followed by the tapping of his wand on the desk in front of him, drew the eyes of his students. The little blighters looked scared for some reason. What did they think he was going to do, administer a unforgivable or something? He glared and they quickly resumed working on the three parchments of equations he had given them, this morning. 

The pounding in his head made his eyes tear slightly and he brushed the water from his face with impatience. Would the day never end? Another sigh and he was up pacing back and forth in the classroom. 

Back and forth, back and forth like a caged animal. Back and forth, back and forth, his mind drifting away with new thoughts. Hermione Granger flowed into his head. In the throes of the Veela desire for his mate, he forgot about the years he had spent taunting her, hating her even. He couldn't understand why she wouldn't just give in and fall for him. He was attractive wasn't he? He was wealthy? He was intelligent? The affirmations appeared in his mind before he could stop them, but he needed those little mental pick-me-uppers. 

In the light of all his GOOD qualities, why couldn't she just let bygones be bygones?

Sure she might be a Mu...Muggleborn wizard, but he didn't hold that against her. Well in truth his Veela blood wouldn't allow him to hold it against her, she was his mate, regardless of old bigotries. 

Draco had a very small niggling feeling in the back of his mind that IF he hadn't come into his inheritance he MAY have held the non-pure blood thing against her. But then again maybe not, he was open minded, wasn't he? Well, wasn't he? He scowled as he paced. (Sometimes its not good to ask yourself too many pointed questions so early in the day, especially when you know you aren't going to love the answers! )

He sighed again and flopped himself down into his chair behind his desk. His feet went up onto the wooden surface of that same desk and he leaned his chair back, and perused the ceiling. Plaster was a bit patchy over the left corner, have to get some house elves up here...

"Professor Malfoy!" A voice across the desk caused him to start slightly and his precarious position on the chair made it impossible to right himself when the it tipped too far. He found himself on his back, on the floor behind his desk, his temper rising. 

Draco Malfoy, at the best of times didn't ENJOY humiliation. At the best of times embarrassing situations made him want to kill, kill, kill! Now with his very sanity hanging by a thread, as it so obviously was, he couldn't think of anything evil enough to do to the student who had caused ALL of this! So all he did was lie on his back and swear. The students of Hogwarts from times immemorial had never heard words such as this come from the lips of a person who was supposed to be their teacher. It was clear that Professor Malfoy had walked off the straight edge of sanity! He needed help that only a good dose of medication or slapping could fix. 

"Professor?" A small face appeared over the desk and it was clear she was scared out of her wits. Her eyes were tearing and she was biting her lower lip. 

*************************

Anne Haroldson hadn't wanted to come to Professor Malfoy's class in the first place, not after him yelling at her the other day in the Great Hall, and for no reason as far as she could see. He had even taken fifty points from Gryffindor because he said her posture was bad. She wondered if he noticed that she had been standing up very straight lately. She didn't want to bring shame upon her house again. 

Now this. 

Gryffindor might never recover! It might be better if she asked to be resorted into a different house before all her mates just decided to have her tarred and feathered. 

************************

Draco did his silently counting to a million thing again in the hopes that it would calm him down. It didn't. 

The girl flinched, maybe he wasn't counting as silently as he had thought. Maybe his voice was escalating on each new number he said. Maybe he was yelling at the top of his voice. Maybe he had lost his bloody mind. With that thought he grimaced and got to his feet. 

"Why aren't you in class Ms. Haroldson?" He sighed.

"I...I...I..." The annoying child stammered.

"Well?" He was using his NOT amused face, which actually pretty much looked like every other face these days. 

"Professor Snape wants you to come to his classroom, its important." She blushed when she said the last bit.

Why in the world would Snape want him to come to his classroom?

"Tell him I will be there after class." Draco waved a dismissive hand at the child. Apparently she wasn't good at reading body language because she simply stood there, looking at him.

"Well?"

"Professor Snape said I wasn't to come back unless you are with me." The girl was trembling now. The phrase "between a rock and a hard place" in action, right here in his very own classroom. He wanted to make her suffer a while, since she had caused him to fall off his chair. Yes that had ALL clearly been her fault, but she was just a child. 

He was contemplating getting 'even' with a CHILD? He needed to try to pull himself together and act like an adult, for a minute, if he could. Of course he could! He had control over himself, he was not at some whim of fate. Or blood. He was Draco Malfoy, he could try to not act like a freak, and he could succeed. With that new thought planted firmly in his mind he nodded to the girl and turned back to his class.

"I will be back in a few minutes, resume your working. No talking, do not leave your desks. I will know!" He glared at them all and they believed! 

Draco followed the ramrod straight form of the girl in front of him. She was walking like she had a board strapped to her back, her movements sharp and inelegant, strange child. Putting the girl out of his mind he once again wondered what was so urgent that Snape would summon him to the dungeons in the middle of class. 

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Hermione felt better than she had in days. She was running across the west lawns with a group of Hufflepuffs, playing a game of Wizards Tag. Her laughter filled the air. 

It had been ages since she had done anything like this, if in fact she ever had. This was fun! Hermione Granger having fun, she couldn't remember the last time she had had fun, on purpose. Since she had been such a serious child, she had done more studying than anything else. The last few years there really hadn't been time to seek out enjoyable activities, even if she had known where to look to find them, in the first place.

The late Autumn air was making her cheeks redden. Stopping she rested her hands on her knees and bent over slightly. Her breath came out in uneven gasps and her nose was running a bit, she ran a gloved hand across it and sniffed. A smile of pure happiness curved itself along her lips before she took off running again, lest she be named IT.

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High in a top tower, a pair of twinkling eyes was watching Hermione and the children at play. It was no coincidence that the Headmaster had Hermione working with the students. When she had arrived that first day he could see that she was care worn, and world weary. There were circles under her eyes and lines on her forehead that shouldn't have been there. She needed to relax, have a little fun. He couldn't remember her having much fun as a child, but now her laughter could be heard mingling with the others playing below on the grass.

The Headmaster was pleased. He was one of those few people in the world who truly loved children, he loved each of them for the qualities that made them unique. He would gladly have kept every single student at Hogwarts, even after they were grown. To him they were all his children. They were his family, and he worried about them when they were out in the World, a place that he couldn't keep them safe. He hadn't been able to protect so many of them during the last war, his soul ached with the loss of them. 

Some people had the misguided idea that he loved certain children more. Some people had thought that he loved Harry Potter most of all, but those people were wrong. He had a fondness in his heart for all of them, even the bratty snide little ones who tried to make things difficult. The ones whose parents had instilled into them a sense of superiority, Dumbledore cared even for those children. If he hadn't he never would never have asked Draco Malfoy back as a teacher. 

Thinking of Draco brought a slight grimace to the Headmaster's face. He wasn't yet sure what he was going to do about the part Veela professor of his, but things seemed to be coming to a head and soon by the looks of it.

Draco was growing more erratic and there could come a time when they would need to remove him from his teaching position until he either bonded with his mate or he could control his blood instincts. The heads of houses had been informed that any points taken by him should be ignored during this time, but that no one would be told. No reason to undermine his authority even if he was acting a bit off. 

Dumbledore watching Hermione wondered if she would ever become amenable to being Draco's mate? He remembered them as children, sniping at each other. Never a kind word was shared between them. The animosity between the two had been only slightly less than that between Draco and Ron Weasley. The child Draco had seemed to arouse ill feelings from a good majority of his schoolmates. Dumbledore just hoped for his own sanity and the safety of everyone that Hermione would be able to find her way to Draco. 

Things could get very ugly, if the part Veela wasn't bonded. And the sooner the better.

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Draco stalked along the dungeon hallways toward Snape's classroom. Upon reaching the door it was thrown open before he could touch it. 

A sneering Professor Snape ushered his student inside before turning to Draco.

"Well, while I do appreciate the offer, I am afraid I simply cannot accept." Snape almost smiled, it wasn't a good look! 

It appeared as if Severus Snape was laughing at Draco Malfoy. Draco was nonplussed he couldn't remember Snape ever having laughed at anything. 

"What on Earth are you talking about?" Draco curled his lip in disdain at the sudden levity that Snape was finding difficult to conceal. 

Professor Snape moved aside and waved Draco into his classroom.

"Bloody Hell!" At Draco's words Snape did give way to humor and laughed. The students in the room fell even more silent, no one even seemed to breath as their severe potion's master did more than sneer vilely. That Severus Snape was laughing scared them more than Draco had been capable of doing the last few weeks. (And that was saying something.)

Draco's mind was racing. How had she done it? When had she done it? By Merlin's Beard the girl was bloody brilliant! He had gone from shocked, to amused in the space of about three seconds. Every picture that Draco had place on Hermione's walls that morning were instead in Severus Snape's classroom. They were saying new things now than those Draco had enchanted them to say. Now it was..."Professor Snape, Ooo la la, you look so attractive in those robes!" "Dear Professor, will you Marry Me?" "Professor, I think I love you!" and the like. Draco just stood and shook his head, unbelievable. 

So she wanted to play did she? Well then let the games begin! An evil grin marked his face, and with a swirl of robes he was gone, leaving behind a roomful of stunned students, and a still semi-smiling Snape. (alliteration)

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TBC

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Ok thar she blows. 

A couple of things....

In Dreams...Yes I am reading Frizzy's fic as well, I do read quite a bit of slash, mostly Draco/Harry...and while I like her IDEA (obviously, since I am using that particular plot device) I don't so much enjoy the characterization of Harry. I don't love seeing him as some sort of crybaby, he has fought Voldemort and lived with the Dursleys for crying out loud so he has backbone. Just seems to have lost it somewhere. ;) I am not opposed to OOC characters...per se...I mean HELLO I am doing a VEELA fic...but still a bit of continuity! 

Burgundyred...HUGS, YOU are my spell checker! :) Thank you for finding my errors for me. Please keep it up, I need it. .

Arbitrary...Woe is me, I am still taking the refresh key challenge. ;)

Fluff...yes I have read Burgundyred's "Post Hogwart's Affair" I even recced it in my other fiction. :)

MsLessa...Thanks for the cyber Pumpkin Pie!

And to everyone else.....LuckyClovers, Maiden of Ice, FashionDiva, gaia-moore, dangelu881, scholz03, Teenie Malice, Pendragon, Fluff, Emerald, Tippie Toes, La Rose Noire, MsLessa, Burgundyred, In Dreams, Fu Man Skeeto, Arbitrary, Spaced out Space Cadet, Kou Shun'u, klee_babe, thefluffymuffinbunny, Azn-Sweetie, zennou-sakusha, gaia, Bobotuber Pus, Ankle, Silent Seishin, Lady Mistress, Andy, Dream Serpent, Croft, Mesmer, Achicagoil, Dazed Panda...Thankyou so much for your reviews, I really appreciated them! :) 

OK as per usual, I have found some fics that I am enjoying, you might like them as well, check them out....

1) Arbitrary's "Temporary Insanity" (When would I NOT recommend this?)

2)Nichneven's "Sunshine Day" (I know I mentioned this on Draco's Inheritance already but for people who haven't read this yet...please do! Its a very funny one shot Draco fiction. :) Good stuff. 

3)Hasapi's "Last Will and Testament" (I just started it but it has an interesting premise.)


	4. Into the Fray

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Chapter 4: Into the Fray

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Professor Snape had been amused by the whole incident. So amused that he had given way and vented that humor in a totally out of character way, he had laughed. Oh yes Snape had been amused all right, but all told his amusement had, in fact, lasted for less than a minute. Now he was annoyed! And while annoyed wasn't good for those around him, it was at least a better look for him than amused had been. Some men are simply made for brooding. 

It had taken exactly 35 seconds after Draco had left the dungeons for the students to overcome their shock and to start whispering amongst themselves about the events that had just occurred. And it had taken only slightly longer than that for Professor Snape to realize they ALL thought HE, Severus Snape, was Draco's mate. While it had been common knowledge among the staff that one Hermione Granger was the part Veela's intended victim, er, eternal partner, that information hadn't obviously made its way down the chain, to the students, as of yet. 

The wizard photos of Draco were still up on the dungeon walls and they were still making outrageous comments. Snape could feel his brows sliding low over his eyes and meeting in the middle. He frowned at the room at large and a hush descended. 

"Haroldson, Andrews!" he snapped, "Get those off the wall!" The two students quickly started gathering the offending photos and turned with arms full to see what they were supposed to do next. Snape waved them over to his work table where they placed the pictures into a large pile, then scuttled back to their desks. 

Snape strode over to the table and snapped his wand in that direction, a gasp went from the students. At the sound an evil grin slid over Snape's features. 

"Evanesco!" He muttered and the photos disappeared. 

"Well back to work, you are supposed to be making potions not sitting staring like St. Mungo's patients!" He whirled back toward the class and his face had taken on its customary sneering appearance.

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Draco was sitting on an examination table in the school infirmary. Ginny was waving her wand over him and then writing her findings down on the parchment next to her. 

Ginny started "tsking" and shaking her head. Draco inwardly groaned, here came the lecture.

"Draco. You need sleep. I don't like to see you like this. If you exhaust yourself you won't be able to control the Veela Charms. Promise me you will take the sleeping draught at least two nights a week!" She glared at him as his mother had done when he was a little boy. 

He grinned, that Malfoy grin. 

"Draco, do try to take this seriously. Promise me two nights a week at least, I would like you to take it every night but I know you too well." she frowned and passed him a small bottle of the sleeping tincture. 

"Yes Mistress Lupin!" Still grinning and not being serious enough for Ginny's liking he slipped the bottle into his robes and hopped down off the examination table. 

He placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently. 

"Look, I have a class in ten minutes, but it will be aright! Thank you Ginny." 

Then he was gone leaving Ginny to frown at the door that closed upon his black clad back. 

Ginny looked at her charts. He was rapidly deteriorating. Physically he was still strong enough but when she took the wand readings on his auras and mind they were so erratic she had had to take them three times before she got a good reading. 

"Uhghh." She rubbed her hands over her eyes and sat down on a stool next to Professor Pomfrey's desk. This was not easy. Hermione was one of Ginny's best friends, but Ginny had come to know and admire Draco as well, so it was hard for her to see him being slowly destroyed like this. 

Of course it wasn't easy to set aside differences and just "fall" in love with someone because fate had dealt that particular hand. Ginny didn't know herself what she would do if faced with a similar situation. 

Maybe there was a way to help Draco AND Hermione. Ginny scrunched her brow in deep concentration, for long minutes no sound was heard in the infirmary but that of Ginny randomly scribbling ideas on a small scrap of parchment.

After a time Ginny got up and left the room, and the sound of her triumphant laughter could be heard long after the door was closed. 

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All morning long, no matter where Snape went he could hear the twittering little idiots talking about him behind his back, to the side, and in front of his face. This had to stop! Snape wasn't a teacher that students wondered about, he wasn't a teacher that any of them wanted to think about at all if they could help it, but now here he was now a bloody cause for speculation. 

It was all he could do not to start throwing hexes around. It was obvious that until Draco was with his "proper" mate that he, Severus, was going to have to deal with this type of thing, and that was something he was not willing to do. He had to think of something to help Ms. Granger see the light and become amenable to her situation. It wasn't as if she had a choice after all, she was Draco's mate and that was all there was to it. The sooner she just put aside her ridiculous (whatever they might be) objections to the match the sooner Snape himself would have a moment of quiet! 

And so with that thought in mind he turned his attentions onto how he could become a "matchmaker." 

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Hermione was sitting in a cozy chair, with Crookshanks settled in her lap. His purring told of his happiness to finally be out of that dratted cat carrier and in his mistresses lap. Hermione was reading. Holding the book in one hand and petting her familiar with the other. The running her fingers through the short silky fur was ordinarily very soothing to her, but today her mind would not be comforted by the gentle action.

She sighed and turned the page on her book. Looking at the new page she realized she had no idea what it had said on the last page she had read, nor to be honest what she had read at all since she had started. 

A smile started on her lips, she wondered what Draco had done when she had taken his pictures and put them in Snape's classroom. She would have loved to be there for that one. The look on both of their faces would have been priceless. She wished she had a invisibility cloak as Harry had in school. 

She sighed again. While that had been fun, and funny, there really wasn't anything overly comical about the present situation. She knew that sooner or later this would all have to be sorted out, but she wasn't ready to think about that for now. She needed to try to take her mind off her worries which was why she was sitting reading, but that wasn't working. It may have been better if she had just left like she had planned, but Dumbledore was reluctant to let her leave while things were still so unsettled between Draco and herself. 

She had owled Theodosia about needing time off and her agent had sent back a letter filled with phrases like "breach of contract" "lawsuit pending" "never work in this town again" etc. So things weren't exactly looking that great in that part of her life either. Great her personal life was clearly not worth being discussed and now her professional life had taken a drastic leap into the depths as well. 

With another sigh Hermione gave up any pretense at reading, stood up and placed Crookshanks back onto the warmth of the chair, then left the room. She needed a walk. 

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Draco was tramping through the thin underbrush, along the edge of the forest. As he had been doing for most of the afternoon, he was walking to clear his thoughts. The sound of the dry leaves underfoot and the smell of the crisp air was making him feel better than he had in days. Where ever he went in the castle he could feel Hermione. Her scent was everywhere, teasing him with her aloofness. Most of the time he just felt as if he had gone crazy. He wasn't used to the lack of control and he hated it. 

At least outside like this, the only smells that assailed his nostrils were the damp earthy aromas of decaying leaves and that tale tale first indication that colder weather was on its way. He leant against a tree and pulled his scarf closer around his neck, with one gloved hand. His eyes closed for a moment as he just breathed in and out quietly. It was nice to feel this normal again, even if for only a moment. 

His hands in his robe pocket encountered the bottle of tincture that Ginny had given him. He really hoped he wouldn't need it. So far he had been able to control his Veela charms to the point that there was little but an ambient charm exuding from him. He knew though that he had been close to losing it on more than one occasion and if things continued along this route much longer he could well end up needing the tincture and more. 

In this lucid moment he despaired of ever winning Hermione over. He knew how she felt about him. He knew how he had teased her, how they had driven barbed insults into each other for years. To expect her to forgive him, accept him, to love him seemed preposterous. But of course none of that meant that he was giving up. No far from it. He had plans to woe her. Subtle plans. A damned sight more subtle than of his telling her he was her mate, in case anyone was interested. No these plans were very sly, very Slytherin, very Draco Malfoy! 

His eyes still closed he smiled to himself, the hard tree at his back giving him support as he drifted off into thoughts of the future with Hermione by his side. His thoughts were interrupted by something that made him groan in frustration at not being left alone even here, and just in frustration period!

Hermione was near. His eyes snapped open and he looked around carefully. He couldn't see her yet but he could feel her, smell her. He opened his mouth to capture that illusive scent on his palate. His eyes rolled back and the Veela instincts beat at the back of his brain for release. With a hiss of breath he stifled those baser instincts and pushed his back away from the tree. One careful step after another he started to stalk his prey.

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Hermione was picking up thin fallen twigs, the ones that still had the brightly colored Autumn leaves on them. She was clutching a small bundle of the red, yellow and orange leaves to her chest. She thought they would look nice in her room. Her cheeks were rosy with the healthy exercise of trekking through the woods and the coolness of the air. It was nice to be outside on a day such as this.

Even with the immense size of the castle it still had felt stifling. 

  
There was a sound of crunching leaves behind her and she turned around and stopped suddenly tense. 

Draco Malfoy stood a few yards from her. There was no expression on his face and he wasn't trying to come any closer. She didn't know what to say to him, if she should say anything, or just get back to the castle.

"Hermione." It was a greeting.

"Draco." Hermione nodded her head once.

"May I?" He indicated that he wanted to come nearer to her into the clearing. 

Part of her was screaming, NO! NO! NO! but she found herself waving her hand in a dismissive way as if it didn't matter what he did. 

He smiled slightly and moved toward her. 

"Those are nice." He pointed to the bundle of twigs and colored leaves that was in her arms. 

"Thank you." It would be impolite not to say that wouldn't it? He didn't act as if he was waiting to jump on her or anything. Although with that thought her heart began to beat and she wondered if she would be able to outrun him if she needed to? 

He walked around the clearing and picked up another small branch of particularly lovely maroon leaves, then walked over and handed them to her.

"So Professor Snape seemed a bit surprised that he was a possible candidate for my mate." 

Draco's words brought her eyes to his face. Was he angry? She searched his face and found a slight raising of an eyebrow and a twitching of his lips. He thought it was funny? She could feel the tension flow from her body and she took a deep breath and shrugged her shoulders at him. 

"I don't know what you are talking about." She teased.

Draco burst out laughing, then his face sobered and he looked down at her. They stood that way for a few moments and just as it started to get uncomfortable Draco moved away.

"Come on, its getting dark. I will walk you back. Here let me take those." He took the bouquet of leaves from her and they made their way back to the castle. 

*************************

Very dark eyes were watching them as they crossed the castle grounds toward school. These eyes were not twinkling, these eyes were narrowed. And the mind behind the eyes was shrewdly plotting. Being a death eater and a spy had given Professor Snape the ability to be sneaky when he had to. He had been plotting and scheming all day. 

Not being well versed in the arts of romance, and really more after a fast result, his plans were somewhat crude. He didn't care about finesse in this situation, simply a means to an end. He smiled a bright evil smile as he swirled his robes and stalked away.

************************

Hermione entered the great hall for the evening meal with a smugness about her features. She had learned something very important on the way from her rooms. She had learned that due to her putting the pictures of Draco in Snape's classroom, that morning, that the student body now thought that the dark professor was Draco's own true love, or something akin to it in any case! The thought nearly sent her doubling over, the humor of the situation was almost too much to bear. Draco and Serverus? Oh my where do people get those ideas? A thought suddenly sobered her. Hermione and Draco? Where do people get THOSE ideas. The humor of the situation was pushed aside at sudden remembrance of her position. She entered the great hall and moved to take her place at the head table not noticing the gaze of many scheming eyes upon her. If she had noticed, she probably would have started sleeping with her wand under her pillow again!

***********************

A/N Thanks all the reviewers I can't say how great it is that you are having fun with this. I know I am. I don't have time today to mention anyone individually but will try to address any questions at a later date. Also anyone who recommended fics I am getting to them, including any that you wrote yourselves. Thanks for letting me know about them I am an avid reader and love new stories. :) 

I won't be updating for a while, my company has closed down my particular office and its either relocate or be jobless, so I am moving to a new state on the 10th of January. I very much doubt that with the holidays and packing and moving that I will have time to do much writing before the middle/late part of the month. I will also update "Draco's Inheritance" again before I take the little hiatus. 

OK enough rambling from me. 

Hope all your Holidays are fantastic, and you all make some nice New Year's resolutions...and that you haven't broken them all by the time I see you again.

As always read Arbitrary's "Temporary Insanity" WHY? Because its brilliant.


	5. With Friends Like These

Disclaimer: In Chapter 1

**********************************

Chapter 5: With Friends Like These.

**********************************

Nothing much of interest happened during the days following Hermione and Draco's encounter in the woods. He still skulked around corners hoping to catch a glimpse of her, and she skulked around the opposite ones in order to avoid him. 

Snape continued to look dour, not that anyone really noticed a change. (since there wasn't one) 

Ginny walked around with purpose in her stride and a gleam in her eye that made her husband very uneasy. He had been on the receiving end of that look one too many times and as a consequence was unable to sleep very well at night! 

Everyone else either seemed either unaware of the way things stood between Draco and Hermione, or they simply didn't care. 

So all in all things weren't so very different than they had been prior to the 'encounter' and it SEEMED as if things might still remain the same for a very long time thereafter, but sometimes fate and her minions have a way of helping out when (and how) you least expect. 

(Of course sometimes when you have Snape and Ginny on the case you really don't need to worry about Fate at all, you have bigger fish to fry!)

******************

The day of the first Quidditch game of the season had turned out to be unseasonably warm and sunny, and students were shedding their outer wear as they made their way toward the stands. Hermione strode along side a group of Gryffindor's wearing her bright red and gold striped scarf wrapped about her neck and her sensible dark shoes tied firmly on her feet. She lifted her face to the sky and smiled, it was a perfect day for Gryffindor to beat Ravenclaw. A chuckle escaped her lips at the friendly house rivalry, and the fact that she had fallen back into those thoughts so easily, even though no longer a student.

Her group reached the stands and she decided to sit with the students, since she really wasn't faculty, and there were people over there that she was trying to avoid if possible. Well, 'PERSON' not people. She lifted her robes slightly as she started to climb the stairs, showing a bit of ankle as she did, not that anyone would notice. 

******************

Of course Draco noticed her ankles shown by her lifting her robes slightly, he noticed everything. Her bright cheerful expression, her cheeks pink from the crisp air, her untidy hair pulled into a hasty braid, her brown eyes so happily glowing, everything about Hermione Granger Draco drank in and savored. He stayed standing and staring after Hermione long after the time when the quaffle was released and the game underway. Finally noticing the glaring of Professors around him he sat down and folded his arms over his chest. 

******************

Hermione stood up and cheered as the quaffle went flying past the Ravenclaw keeper and into the hoops another ten points for Gryffindor! This was shaping up to be a very good match. She was happy she had come. It had been ages since she had seen a Quidditch match live, even this level was still exciting, and fun. She started as she realized she was once again having fun, on purpose. 

*****************

Draco sighed, another ten points for Gryffindor. He couldn't seem to keep his eyes or mind on the game. It was a boring match-up. Ravenclaw's keeper didn't seem to be able to keep anything, let alone the quaffle from entering her hoops. He frowned and glared at no one in particular. A few students caught his eye and blanched at the look. He could think of at least a dozen things he would rather be doing, granted most of them involved Hermione, but instead he had to sit here and watch this match up of hideously mediocre Quidditch playing, AND he had to act as if he cared. A loud sigh escaped his lips. 

He felt someone's eyes on him, that strange sixth sense you get when someone is staring. He turned around sharply and was surprised to see Severus watching him with a speculative look. He raised a brow in question at the potions master, who glared and pointedly looked away. Ooo-k. 

The strange feeling of someone watching him persisted and he looked around himself again, Snape was determinedly NOT looking in his direction, despite the fact that the Quidditch field was directly past Draco. Most students were interested in the game and the ones who weren't were not watching the professor's stands. Hmm, no help there, and yet that little prickle was still there. 

Draco craned his neck looking all around at the other professors. Ahh, Ginny was watching him. He raised a hand and did a little wave in her direction, two flags of color charged up her cheeks and she looked away. Remus noticed the exchange and looked questioningly at Draco. Draco shrugged, how should he know. Everyone was acting strangely lately. 

"Humph!" With another loud sigh Draco tried to turn his attention to the game, but found it wandering, as usual, to Hermione. The old Malfoy "The Ferret" part of him wondered what it was that made her his mate, but then his Veela side quickly put that question to rest. She was the most delightful person on earth, she was charming, and lovely, a bit willful but still would he want her any other way? Want her? Want her...oh yes he would want her any and everyway, and he would have her too. She was HIS!

His eyes narrowed and he resumed his perusal of her from the distance of the stands. He couldn't see her eyes but he knew the brown had little flecks of green and gold in them, and that when she smiled her two front teeth stuck out a little. There was nothing about Hermione that wasn't perfect. He sighed, if only he could just haul her off somewhere, make her love him. He could do it, of that he had no doubts. But knowing her like he did he squashed that idea before he decided that sneaking in her window and putting a bag over her head, then dragging her into the forest was a good idea! The ends in this case would NOT justify the means, not to Hermione anyway. 

Another sigh.

Would this game never end?

**************************

The quaffle flew through the hoops on the Gryffindor side and Hermione booed with the students around her. The Ravenclaw team did a victory lap and pulled up short in front of their stands to bask for a moment in the cheering, coming from that side. 

Hermione knew that Draco was watching her, he was always watching her. She turned her head to look at the Professor's stand and saw that Draco WASN'T watching her, he was waving at Ginny. Ginny? Did Ginny just blush? What was going on with them? Hermione felt her face harden into a frown. Stop acting like a fool Hermione, Ginny is married, and you don't care what Draco does! She sternly reprimanded herself and got back to watching the game. She only had to tell herself she didn't care, what Draco did, ten times before she actually believed it. Perfectly normal, perfectly healthy!

*************************

Everyone was on their feet as the seekers went into a dive. One moment everyone was cheering for their particular seeker and the next the Gryffindor Seeker was rising into the air the snitch triumphantly held aloft in his hand. 

In the interim however Draco Malfoy had been struck in the chest and knocked unconscious by a bludger. 

Draco had stood as had all the others, and he leaned over the rail in front of him to better watch this first bit of action so far in the game. Everyone was cheering and calling the name of the two seekers. No one noticed when the bludger went rogue, no one noticed that it was heading for Professor Malfoy, some one might have yelled "Bludger" at the last moment, but by then it was much, much too late. Draco felt as if his chest had caved in, and in truth more than a couple of ribs had been broken, he fell muttering Hermione's name. 

Then came the blessed darkness.

*************************

The stands were erupting with the chants of "Gryffindor, Gryffindor!" as the team flew lap after lap in triumph.

Snape looked over at the Gryffindor stands, Hermione was hugging and being hugged by a group of students and didn't even notice that the professors were all in an uproar, because Draco was lying on his back, blood coming out of his mouth, looking like one dead. 

Well so much for plan A) Make Hermione Worry. 

Now it was Snape's turn to sigh...on to plan B, and with a swirl of robes and a scowl he headed for his dungeons. 

***********************

A/N Yes its the old "rogue" bludger ruse , but this is Snape here, he does the best he can. SO I need CLICHE'S...I am going to open a little contest, the prize will be a preview of a future chapter. IF you have any really cheesy cliche ways to get Draco and Hermione together that their friends might use and I write them into the story I will send you that chapter. (which is all about their first date.) I have a few nice little ones of my own...but I thought you all might have some I never even thought about. Anywho, if you are interested email me, my email is in my profile. 

And now for something completely different....thanks for the continued interest in this little story, I am still having loads of fun writing it, and I appreciate your reviews so very much! THANK YOU! I still am in LOVE with a particular story and those of you familiar with me know what that story is, so I shall refrain from saying. 

I moved safely and things should be settling down...I use the word should because things don't go according to plan sometimes, in any case I am back and will try to update as frequently as I can. 

Until next time keep those Veela charms tamped down folks and I will catch you later. ;)


	6. Allergic to Love

Disclaimer: In Chapter One

******************

Chapter 6: Allergic to Romance

******************

Hermione fallowed the students off the stands and back to Hogwarts. They all invited her to their common room for a victory celebration but she declined and headed for the library with one thought in her mind. 

How to get out of being Draco's mate. 

*****************

Draco was at that very moment lying in the infirmary drugged to a fine haze. He felt absolutely delightful. A soft cradle of light supported his head in a tender embrace. A warmth was filling his heart with a safe feeling, and he floated along in bliss. 

"Dr-rra-crraco" A fuzzy voice penetrated the fog that surrounded his brain, he opened his eyes and saw Ginny and her twin were leaning over him. He hadn't even known she had a sister. Hnm. 

"Hello. Aren't you going to introduce me?" he smiled back.

"Introduce you? Draco are you Ok?" they both asked. 

"I am fine, I feel wonderful." He smiled again and his eyes closed.

Within moments he was snoring softly.

Ginny waved her wand over him checking his vital signs and laughed as he made a small snort and smacked his lips. The sleep, induced by the medication high he was on, was probably the most sleep he had had in weeks. 

She and Madam Pomfrey had decided that they would keep him in the infirmary for a couple of days and keep him on the pain medications during that time so he could heal with as little discomfort as possible. And if he should also get some much needed sleep, well all for the better. 

*****************

Professor Snape sat in front of the fire in his study with a glass of brandy in his hand, and a snarky look on his face. 

Damned Draco, Damned Hermione. He couldn't have cared less if they found eternal love with each other, he didn't care if they hexed each other silly to be honest. He just wanted them together at any cost. He needed to stop everyone from thinking he was Draco's mate. 

"Blast!" He threw the antique brandy snifter at the fireplace where it shattered to pieces. 

Today a perfectly good plan crushed because of that idiotic Gryffindor seeker. He smiled remembering that he had that particular imbecilic child in class tomorrow. An evil chuckle filled the room, ten thousand points from Gryffindor. 

Turning his mind away from revenge he turned it once more to his plans for Hermione and Draco. He hadn't done so well with shock tactics, so he would just have to move on to something more romantic. He settled back in his chair and scanned his memory for anything that might help. 

***************

The library's restricted section, seemed to have books on almost every subject. Hermione had sneaked into it on more than one occasion as a student. There hadn't seemed to be any pressing problem to which she couldn't find a solution, if she just looked hard enough. She perused the shelves and came away with an armful that promised to tell her everything she had ever wanted to know about Veelas but was afraid to ask. 

Heartened she sat down at a table and started a methodical search. Page after page was turned, passage after passage read. The sun was sinking below the horizon and students were leaving the library heading for the Great Hall. She had been looking for hours, in hopes to find any indication that a Veela could chose an improper mate. 

Aside from the whomping willow incident (which no one was completely sure had been a bad match) there was not anything to support her theory that Draco was wrong! She had found out some other sorts of information however. 

__

'....There have been recorded throughout history the incidents of Dark Bondings between Veela and their mates. However there has never been the report of a false bond. Once the Veela instincts are triggered toward the predestined mate, the one of Veela blood will attempt to find that mate. Once the designated mate is found, there will then ensue a brief time of courtship during which the entire focus of the Veela will be entirely upon that chosen one. 

The courtship is by necessity of short duration as the Veela instincts will fight with the human side for dominance. The feeling of completion of the soul takes place after a formal bonding ceremony and a consummation of that mateship. Only then will the Veela instincts start to recede. There will always be a certain glamour, and charm issued by the Veela, also a jealousy toward the mate, but after the official Bonding takes place those signs are minimal. 

The law gives the Veela authority to claim mates in all circumstances, including: Married mates, mates who might be incarcerated, and other reasons that a mate might be unavailable. Mates that fall under the legal age of consent will be cloistered until the appropriate age of majority is reached, during that time the Veela is retrained and medicated in an appropriate fashion to maintain sanity....'

The book went on and on, and none of it was of any real help to Hermione All she wanted was to be free of Draco Malfoy. Not find out that she was bound to him for ever, until death do they part. A shudder flowed over her, until death do they part. Suddenly she was scared. This was too serious, this wasn't fair. Fair? It was childish to think that life had anything to do with fairness. But it didn't stop Hermione from wanting to stamp her feet. 

Taking a deep breath, Hermione regrouped her thoughts. 

Well, clearly spending time looking for ways of proving that she was the wrong mate was not going to be beneficial. The next step was to see if there was a way to make Draco not be a Veela. If there was a way to permanently close off those Veela Instincts, without doing any real damage to him, that would serve her just as well. Then everything could go back to normal. 

It was with determination that Hermione placed the books back on the shelf and looked for some obscure spell and potions ones instead. 

"Miss Hermione." She looked down and saw a house elf was standing next to her. What in the world was it doing here?

"Professor Dumbledore would like to see you miss." 

"Professor Dumbledore, wishes to speak to me?" Hermione questioned. 

The elf nodded, then seeing that the message had been delivered and received, it snapped its fingers and disappeared. 

*****************

Professor Dumbledore's office looked like it always had, slightly messy but filled with so many interesting things. It was only the look on the headmaster's face that stopped Hermione from wandering around touching things.

"Well Miss Granger, unless you hexed that bludger in an attempt to kill Professor Malfoy, I can only assume that you have captured the attention of someone who wants to assist you in your bonding." He steepled his fingers together and looked at a Hermione.

"What do you mean attempt to kill Draco?" Hermione was completely confused. 

"Miss Granger do you mean to tell me you have no idea what's happened to Draco?" Dumbledore leaned forward in his chair. 

"No, what happened to Draco?" Hermione's voice got higher without her realizing, causing that old familiar twinkle to come back to Dumbledore's eyes.

"Not too worry Miss Granger, that's the reason I brought you here. Today at the game he was struck in the chest by a rogue bludger and will need to be in the infirmary for a while. Madam Pomfrey assures me he has taken his bone mending potions and will be good as new in a couple of days." 

Hermione's shoulders lowered and she relaxed, though why she had been nervous in the first place she couldn't say. Less than ten minutes ago she had wanted nothing more than to never clap eyes on Draco Malfoy again. 

"Miss Granger, I was hoping you would do me the favor of teaching his classes while he is incapacitated." 

Now why did that sound more like a command than a question?

********************

"Well Draco, I suppose you are ready to get out of here." Ginny handed him a pile of folded clothing, he noticed they were the same ones he had been wearing when hit by the bludger. He grimaced, they were blood splattered and wrinkled.

"Sorry Draco, no one could get past the wards on your door. We couldn't get you anything fresh to wear. I will just leave you alone to change." She gave him a weak smile and pulled the screen around the bed.

Draco sighed, and could feel a remaining twinge in his chest. He clearly wasn't completely healed yet, but at least he had slept through the worst of it. He didn't think that was coincidental. Part of him thanked Madam Pomfrey and Ginny for keeping him drugged to the hilt. The other part of him was mad at them for the exact same reason. 

He changed into his damaged robes and pulled the screen back. Ginny turned from the desk and walked toward him.

"Ok Draco you need to take this for another week, two drops in the morning and two before bed. You will still be a little sore for a while so be a bit careful." She handed him a bottle and patted his arm. 

With that Draco left the infirmary and headed for his own rooms. What he needed now was a nice hot shower and clean robes. 

**************

A pair of gray eyes watched Hermione walk into the great hall that evening. She didn't notice until she was almost to the head table, and then faltered in her steps when she saw Draco sitting in his usual place beside Professor Sprout. She smiled despite herself and walked past him to sit next to Severus. 

When had he gotten out of the infirmary? Was he ok? Would she have to teach his classes anymore? Not that it wasn't sort of fun. She had never seen herself as a Professor, but the last few days she had enjoyed herself immensely. 

Dumbledore got to his feet and the room went silent. 

"I am sure we would all like to welcome back Professor Malfoy, he appears to be feeling well. I trust we won't have any other incidents like the one with the bludger." His looked over his half moon glasses at the room, then turned to look at each of his professors as well. 

"Of course we won't. Now then, eat, eat." he smiled and sat down. The silence in the hall reigned for a few moments more before the usual meal time chatter resumed. 

"I wonder who hexed that bludger?" Hermione wondered out loud.

"How should I know? Why would you think I would have anything to do with something like that? Hmph! I certainly do not know!" Severus sneered down his nose at her and turned away.

Well that was fun. 

Hermione looked at her plate and began eating. 

*******************

The dream was always the same. 

__

Draco was walking through the mist, trees seemed to reach out to tangle branches into his hair. The sound of his breathing was the only thing to be heard.

He was searching for something. Searching the darkness for something. Something very important. He stopped, and stood completely still his mind scrambling to try to remember the object of his pursuit. He couldn't remember what it was, but knew that it was imperative that he found it. His eyes scanned back and forth, peering through the trees trying to find that illusive something. 

He felt a shock run up his spine. His heart leapt into his throat and he began running, faster and faster. 

The trees seemed to close in around him and the brush on the ground thickened. He felt himself falling and was on his knees before he could catch himself. There was a new sound now, besides his awkward breathing. It sounded like an owl call. He stayed where he had fallen and twisted his head upward, toward the trees above him. 

On the lowest branch of a tall willow tree sat a barn owl, preening her feathers. The owl seeing his interest cocked her head to the side and looked down at him with one amber eye. 

He pushed himself to his feet and went toward the tree intent upon getting closer to the bird. At his movement she flew to another tree that rimmed the clearing in which he now suddenly stood. This was for whom he had been searching. He needed to get to her. As he walked from tree to tree she flew off, before he could reach her. This went on until his legs would no longer support him and he fell once more to his knees. His sobs broke the night air and tears chased themselves down his cheeks to fall onto the ground beneath him. 

As he lie curled into a ball on the ground, he felt something touch his cheek. He started from the suddenness of that touch. Opening his eyes he saw the owl that he had been chasing had flown silently down to rest beside him. Her wings were stretched wide, and it had been her feathers he had felt brushing against his skin. With a tentative hand he reached forth and touched her softness, then pulled her close to himself and wrapped his arms around her. 

A feeling burst forth from him that made him want to sing and cry at the same time, the feeling of elation at having the one thing that made him complete made an ache start in his chest and expand. This is what he had been waiting for all his life. 

The tears started in earnest.....and then he woke.

Draco sat straight up in bed and wiped the tears from his cheeks. Damn he had had 'the dream' again. He hadn't the slightest idea what it meant, if anything, but he always woken from it with tears on his face. With a sigh he punched his pillows and flopped back down, knowing he would never get back to sleep. 

*****************

In another part of the castle someone else was having a very hard time sleeping, but it wasn't because of a dream. 

The night seemed to be closing in around her and Hermione gasped slightly, the little air that she was able to force into her screaming lungs was hardly enough to keep her from blacking out. She opened her eyes and sat up straight out of bed. 

Her mind immediately grasped the problem. 

Her room was filled with flowers. Vases of flowers covered every square inch of available surface space. Not just any flower but roses, blood red roses, it would have been a romantic gesture if Hermione hadn't been deathly allergic to roses. As it was it could be the thing that killed her. 

Her throat was swelling shut and she was having a hard time getting any air in at all, she tried to get out of bed, just get to the hallway. She would be able to breathe there. 

She made it three steps before her body went into shock and she was on the floor twitching. 

***************

Draco had almost drifted back off to sleep when he felt all his Veela senses flare to life. Something was wrong. He sat up in bed listening. Straining his ears to see if he could hear any sign of the problem. He heard nothing. Hmm...he started to lie back down again and realized the connection between Hermione and himself, the one that was always there in the back of his mind, couldn't be felt anymore. 

"Noooo!" With a roar he was out of bed, and running frantically out of his rooms and toward his mate. 

***************

Ginny circled the room again looking at Hermione, and her swollen features. Her eyes were red and mere slits in her face. The tension in Ginny's back and shoulders made her suddenly realize how scared she was to lose another friend. She had lost so many people that she loved during the war, she didn't want to lose another one now. Not Hermione, not Draco. She was more determined than ever to help them get together. 

Three hours later Hermione woke up, Ginny went to the bed immediately.

"Where am I?" Hermione asked confused.

"You are in the infirmary, Draco found you in your room. Its lucky he found you when he..." Ginny trailed off.

"In my room...oh the flowers. I'm allergic to roses." 

"Yes we figured that out, when he found you you had gone into shock. He rushed you here and we were able to administer a counter agent. Now lie still for a while." 

Madam Pomfrey came over to the bed and began taking Hermione's vital signs. 

"I will go let the others know she is going to be ok." Ginny told her colleague. 

Ginny walked from the infirmary the short way to the teacher's lounge room. Draco was pacing back and forth still only wearing his black pajama bottoms, he must be cold, Ginny thought before turning her eyes to rest of the room.

Dumbledore was there but without his usual cheerful expression. It had surprised Ginny but Severus had kept the vigil as well. Remus looked over at her and Minerva put the book down that she had been pretending to read. (upside down) Someone must have told Hagrid because he was also in the room his large bulk squeezed onto a well made sofa. 

"Well Mistriss Lupin, how is our patient?" The headmaster's words were light but his expression wasn't.

"She has just awoken, Madam Pomfrey is with her now. She will be fine. Just needs some rest, as do all of you." She turned her MediWitch eyes on all of them. 

"Can I see her?" Why was she not surprised that the voice was Draco's?

"In the morning, its only a few hours until dawn as it is, just wait until morning. Ok?" Ginny smiled at the room at large and walked back to the infirmary.

***************

After Ginny left, the others drifted away one by one. 

Professor Severus Snape let out a sigh, he was glad Hermione was going to be alright, but BLAST! Damn her sideways. Flowers for Merlin's sake, women LOVED flowers. That had been the most romantic gesture he could think of and the chit had to go and almost get herself killed. What was it with those two? Couldn't they do anything normally? 

He swept out of the lounge room and down to his dungeons, his mind seething with rage.

He was almost out of ideas. Almost. 

***************

A/N A general thanks so much for your interest in this story! Loved your reviews. 

There were a few things that caught my eye....

i aM taMi xPp...It seems that the HP Veela train has left you standing on the station platform. I think that the dozens of writers out there doing this sort of Veela Fic have been taking more than a little artistic license with mythology. We are running on a faulty premise and we are LOVING it...;) If its wrong, well I don't wanna be right...LOL

Lyth Taeraneth....No Ginny/Remus loving for you? Come on now cross-generational loving is sooooo good...well after the age of consent of course. I am a stickler for that sort of thing. ANYWAY if you think that Ginny and Remus are bad, just wait...Its going to get that much worse...:| --scared face.

Ezmerelda...loved your "example" regency romance shared interest, I laughed for a good long time...thanks.

Arbitrary...pot and kettle? hmmm? 

As for all the people who participated in my little cliche contest, THANK you! Some of you were thinking like I was, but I did get some very good ideas that hadn't even crossed my mind. Everyone who participated is going to get a preview of that future chapter, whether I use your idea in future chapters or not.....THANKS ALL! :) 

Ok that's it for now before the a/n is longer than the chapter...Ugh...also I am going to be trying to update every week for this story. 


	7. Best Laid Plans

I have been trying to for the last few days to post this chapter, but unfortunately FF.N has been timing out and all sorts of neato things. 

Disclaimer: In chapter 1

*****************

Chapter 7: Best Laid Plans.

*****************

It was surprising that there wasn't a clear pattern of wear, on the floor, in Draco's room. Ever since returning from the infirmary in the middle of the night he had been pacing, back and forth across the length of his room. His mind was racing, he had almost lost her tonight. Desperation was taking hold of his heart.

When he had been younger he had imagined that when he found his mate that they would fall blissfully into each other's arms forever. As he got older he just assumed that the Veela Inheritance had passed him by, so he would just find his spouse the tried and true, trial and error method like the rest of the world. Now here he was with a mate that couldn't stand the sight of him. It wasn't exactly encouraging. 

In fact since Hermione had come, nothing had gone right. And this last episode along with the bludger, made it seem as if someone was trying to kill them. He couldn't imagine why? Well he could imagine why someone would kill him, his family name alone was something that inspired hatred, but Hermione he couldn't think of a soul who didn't adore her. (He also didn't think that was his Veela attractions talking, Hermione was PERFECT.) In any case he would need to be more careful, watch her for any attack that might come her way. 

He was lying on his bed with his forearm over his face when the first rays of sun peeked over the horizon. Well it was morning. Hadn't Ginny said wait until morning? The sun meant morning didn't it? Draco was off his bed and out the door only taking time to dress himself in a clean set of robes. 

**********************

Ginny wasn't surprised to see Draco striding across the infirmary towards her. She was only surprised he had been able to wait until sunrise to come back. She didn't know if it was lucky or not that Hermione was still sleeping. 

"How is she Ginny?" Draco asked as soon as he was close enough to not have to raise his voice. 

"She is sleeping Draco, but the worst is over. She will be swollen a bit for a couple of days, but she is breathing easily." Ginny smiled her best encouraging Medi-Witch smile. 

"Can I see her now?" 

"Draco she is sleeping." Was the firm reminder.

"I know, and I won't wake her, I just want to see that she is alright." 

Ginny looked at Draco, he obviously hadn't rested. She knew he wouldn't until he was allowed to see Hermione. 

"Oh, very well. But only a couple of minutes." Ginny led Draco over to Hermione's bed. 

Moving the screen for Draco and then back again giving them a bit of privacy, she then turned to the paperwork that needed her attention. 

A few minutes later Draco exited the enclosure. 

"Thank you Ginny." He turned to leave.

"Draco, not so fast. I have to talk to you. Last night wasn't the right time, but I need to know something." She paused, biting her lower lip slightly, trying to decide how to frame her question.

Draco stood watching her, no expression on his face. He wasn't making this any easier.

Ginny sighed. 

"Draco, did you...um, did you put the roses in Hermione's room?" When Draco didn't answer immediately she continued. "If you did, you weren't to know she was that allergic, don't blame yourself Draco." A smile and a touch on his arm accompanied the words.

"No, Ginny I didn't. But with this and the bludger it seems as if someone is trying to harm us. I will find out who is responsible and they will pay!" His face was quite fierce. 

Ginny took a step back without thinking. Before she could gather her wits, Draco was gone.

He hadn't put the roses in Hermione's room? Ginny had assumed he had done so in some misguided attempt to be romantic. But no, he hadn't. What did this mean? And what about the bludger? Was that really an accident? Hmm, this all needed some looking into. 

******************

Draco wasn't the only one who hadn't slept that night. In the dungeons Professor Snape was sitting in his usual chair, staring into the fire. So far his plans had gone awry but that didn't mean that he was ready to give in. No indeed, it only made him that much more determined to succeed with his NEXT plan! A sure foolproof plan. And Fool Proof was what he needed. 

The sneer that covered his features was the very same that made his first year students blanch in fear. 

Evil was, as usual, a good look for our dear Professor.

******************

Fawkes trilled softly on his perch, the song of the phoenix should have been soothing to the occupant of the office, but the headmaster wasn't soothed. Nor was he amused with the events of the last week. 

He had assumed that his warning, when Draco had been struck by the bludger, would have been sufficient, but apparently less of a veil and more of a threat was going to be necessary. He prided himself on knowing everything that happened in his own school, but so far he only had loosely formed theories on the events. 

The problem was he didn't believe that it was the children who were the culprits. After much thinking on it, it seemed to him that what appeared to be acts of violence toward Draco and Hermione, could in fact be misguided attempts at matchmaking. But who would be foolish enough to employ such blatant schemes? Who would be willing to attempt this all with so little finesse? The list was getting significantly shorter. 

He leant back in his chair and stroked his beard with one hand, an interesting thought entered his mind. With regards to Draco and Hermione's courtship, if he were to put his hand to it, he imagined he could do much better. 

******************

Everywhere that Hermione went these days Draco was always there. He had the uncanny sense to anticipate her every move! It was very frustrating. 

As she was everyday, she was at this very time in the library with her usual pile of ancient manuscripts. Trying to find a spell to counteract the Veela instincts in Draco had become paramount. Draco of course was sitting less than ten feet away pretending to read. Ok in truth he COULD have been reading, but after the last few days she thought it highly unlikely that he was doing anything other than simply shadowing her. 

Part of her understood why he was acting like an over protective father, but that didn't mean she had to like it. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, despite what might look like evidence to the contrary. One little near death experience and suddenly everyone wanted to put you in cotton wool! She had survived the war after all, and there had been far more danger there than misguided fools with flowers. 

She was getting irritated with everything. Professor Dumbledore had forbad her to leave until things were solved with Draco, and she hadn't the heart to ignore the demand. Her brain knew that to leave wouldn't help, eventually things would have to come to some sort of a conclusion. The instincts of a Veela wouldn't allow Draco and Hermione to remain as they were, it would end one way or another. The one way or another thought sparked a moment of fear in Hermione. 

That reason was why she was in the library every day. Finding a spell or potion was of utmost importance, it would mean freedom for herself. (And Draco, of course.)

******************

Draco wasn't the only person watching Hermione study, whist pretending to read. No indeed another set of eyes was drinking in the sight of her Hero. Anne Haroldson, just happened to have a couple of Hermione's books right in her bag. 

She sighed and finally got up the nerve to approach her favorite author. Taking the books out of the bag she started to get out of her seat. Noticing movement out of the corner of her eye she turned. There was Professor Malfoy. She swallowed hard and sat back down again. 

She would get her books signed, but just maybe not today. She buried her nose back in her Arithmancy textbook and tried to look studious. 

*******************

Draco did everything he could to stifle a yawn, and glared once more at the book he had been trying to read. He needed to be more careful in the future which books he picked, even if he had been interested in sitting in the library reading, he wouldn't have chosen "Lines of Lineage of Cornish Pixies and Highland Brownies" He personally couldn't think of anything less exciting than the book in front of him, there were scarcely any pictures in it at all. 

He shifted in his seat, he was starting to get sore with so much inactivity. How could Hermione stand to sit here for hours on end? Wasn't she bored out of her mind? No of course she wasn't this was just the sort of thing she loved. How many times as a student had she done just this? Too many to count. He wondered what on earth it could be that she was studying with such determination? 

He sighed and shifted again. Closing the book he gave up any pretense at reading and instead rested his chin in his hands and watched Hermione. The sun glinted off her mass of fuzzy hair. Her posture was upright, and she sat with the book propped up at an angle, turning page after page. From where he sat he couldn't see her face but he imagined that it would a picture of concentration. 

*********************

That strange extra sense that humans have telling them when someone is staring at them, flared to life in Hermione. She wasn't about to turn around and confirm the feeling, that prickle of awareness was enough, 

Damned Draco!

*********************

A yawn was torn from Draco's throat and he was drawn out of his reverie, the sun was starting to go down. 

The sun was starting to go down? Already? He looked at the time, he was going to be late. He looked around the library making sure that it appeared safe to leave Hermione alone. The students whose gaze he encountered looked away at his glare. With any luck he would be back in just a few minutes and could continue his watch over his mate. 

He replaced his book onto the shelves and left the library. So intent on his destination was he, that he failed to notice the relieved sighs coming from more than one corner of the library. 

He looked at the time again, and hurried his steps. Ginny said it was important that she needed to speak with him. When it came to Ginny he had given up long ago questioning her, he knew it would do no good in any case. When Ginny Lupin put her mind to something she got it. After all hadn't she coerced Remus into attending Harry's wedding? A wedding that the werewolf had pronounced he would only attend if he were body bound and levitated there. Draco had known better than to tease the man when Remus had shown up and made his rounds smiling and acting like there was no other place he would rather be. Not many men crossed Ginny Lupin and lived to tell. (Well at least lived HAPPILY.)

When next Draco put his foot out it encountered nothing but thin air. He clutched onto the railing and breathed hard. The set of stairs had swung away from the landing and he hadn't even become aware of it. He needed to get his mind on what he was doing. He had almost plunged three stories. A derisive chuckle sounded from his throat, well at least that would solve all of Hermione's problems. 

**********************

Ginny looked at the clock for what seemed the millionth time. Where was Draco? If he didn't get here it would be too late. She walked over to the door and looked outside, he wasn't in the corridor. Humph, this made her very displeased. He couldn't even keep a simple appointment. 

Slamming the door shut she crossed to the kitchen area of the suite, of rooms, she shared with Remus. The water, in the kettle, was starting to steam. How was she to ever get Hermione and Draco together if he didn't have enough sense to just be here at the time she had asked? A little cooperation wouldn't hurt. Men!

She shut the kettle off then flopped down on a chair to await Draco arrival. 

A knock on the door a few moments later caused Ginny to arrange her face, into a frown, before going to answer the door. It better be Draco!

"Sorry I am late Ginny, I lost track of time." He did look harried. Well Ginny supposed she would forgive him, after all Hermione hadn't arrived yet. 

"That's alright Draco, please come in, sit." She waved him in then turned and pointed her wand at the door and whispered a silencing spell on it. 

"So, what was it that you wanted to talk about?" Draco was sitting forward on the chair as if he was about to take flight. 

"Sit back, relax, I will get you some tea." She didn't wait to see if he complied, but went and started the kettle again.

Now if only Hermione would get here.

Ginny stalled in the kitchen as long as she could, arranging and rearranging the tea tray. Looking at the time again she just had to hope that Hermione was more punctual than Draco had been. 

Ginny picked up the tray and took into the lounge room. Draco had found a book to read and was thumbing through the pages listlessly. 

At her appearance he put the book down and partially rose from his seat to take the tray from her hands. 

"Thank you Draco." Ginny sat down and started to pour out the tea.

"So what was it that you needed Ginny?" Draco was starting to get annoyed. 

"What?" Ginny asked.

"You said that you had something important to tell me." 

"OH, yes I do. You see..." Quickly looking at the time again, she got up and handed him his cup of tea, allowing her hand to touch his as she leaned over.

"Ginny I knocked but..."Hermione stood in the open doorway seeing what looked like a private moment between Ginny and Draco. 

"OH, Hermione I didn't expect to see you tonight." Ginny pulled away and hid a smirk with a (psuedo) shocked expression. 

"But you invited me here tonig..." 

"Well since you are here come have some tea, let me just go get another cup." Ginny quickly interuped Hermione. 

Ginny stood in the kitchen with her back to Hermione and Draco, things couldn't have gone better. Hermione might not realize it but her face showed her feelings very well. Ginny just had to step things up a bit and see if she could push in the jealousy a little deeper. Cheerfully she went back to the lounge room. 

"Here we are." She poured Hermione a cup of tea and they sat chatting. 

Ginny made sure to touch Draco as often as she could. She also made it a point to gaze longingly at him whenever possible. Draco of course didn't notice a thing he only had eyes for Hermione. But Ginny was certain Hermione was noticing, if the looks her friend was giving her meant anything. 

"Let me just get some more biscuits." Ginny picked up the plate and turned quickly and then as if by accident her foot caught on the rug and she found herself in Draco's lap. 

"OH! Silly, clumsy me!" Ginny made it appear that she was trying to get out of Draco's lap, but was actually doing everything in her power to stay in a place she was not wanted. Draco couldn't get a good grip on her or she would have been out of his lap and across the room. Ginny almost ruined the whole thing by laughing hysterically at both of her friend's expressions. This was almost too easy! They would be together before the week was out, if she kept this up. Hermione would have to admit to liking Draco. 

***********************

Remus had entered the suite of rooms through his office and stood in the shadows watching the little melodrama take place. 

His wife was drinking tea and she seemed to be "flirting" with Draco Malfoy. What game was she playing? He started to move out from the shadows when Ginny pulled her little "trip and fall into Draco's lap' stunt. It never for one moment crossed his mind that she was actually trying to get Draco's interest herself, he was as sure of Ginny as he was of anything. So what in the world was she doing? 

A horrible thought crossed his mind. Oh Dear Merlin, please, please don't let it be true. A huge sigh came from his lips. She was trying her hand at match making wasn't she? Matchmaking! Ohhh...the old jealousy ruse. He ran a wearied hand through his hair and stepped into the room. The moment Ginny saw his face she squeaked with real surprise. 

"Ginny as soon as you can remove yourself from Draco's lap may I have a word with you in the bedroom?" His voice was silky smooth. 

*****************

Ginny started with fear at the look on her husband's face. Damn, Damn, and Damn again! He was early tonight. With an apologetic look at Hermione and Draco she slipped from the room.

"Well?" She stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips. The most important thing that growing up with slews of older brothers had taught her it was that a good offense is a good defense! 

"What do you mean "Well" Ginny? You were just in Draco's Malfoy's lap." He hadn't been fooled by her defensive stance at all. He looked at her and she found herself being the one to look away first. 

"Remus, its not what you think." Ginny smiled and sidled in close to her husband. 

"It isn't? It isn't what I think Ginny? What do I think?" Remus was enjoying himself now. 

"Well obviously, you...well I...well...I don't know what do you think?" Ginny sat on the bed and started twisting the fringe of the bedspread between her fingers. 

"Ginny what I think is that you are TRYING to play matchmaker. You can't meddle in other people's lives it never works out how you imagine. I won't have it Ginny!" His voice rose slightly

He wouldn't have it, what was that supposed to mean? He was going to try to tell her what to do now, was he? 

How interesting. 

Ginny could feel the frown steeling over her features. Stood back up and faced her husband with THE look on her face.

"No Ginny." Remus knew the look. "No, please, just. We need to talk about this." He held his hands up in what she assumed he thought was a placating gesture. (It wasn't) 

"I have no idea what you are talking about, but if you can't trust me, then I don't think we have anything else to say. Do we?" She turned and left the room. 

Laughing she almost skipped her way back to the lounge room. The second most important thing living with brothers had taught her was that if you can confuse a man you can get away with almost anything. 

Naturally there would be fall out, but even that could be dealt with at the appropriate time. However now was not the appropriate time!

**********************

Remus stood in their bedroom not quite sure what had just happened. It had seemed like he'd had the upper hand, for a moment, but then she had used the look on him and he had caved. Damn! He hit his hand against the wall. He was going to have to keep a much closer eye on his pretty wife, before she did something she shouldn't. 

**********************

Hermione and Draco found themselves ejected into the corridor outside of the Lupin's living quarters, only a few minutes after an apologetic Ginny had come back to the room. 

"I am so sorry but you know men." Ginny had grimaced and motioned her head toward the bedroom before closing the door on them. 

Hermione smiled blankly. No she really didn't know men, but she could imagine what she would do if she came in and found her wife...well husband, in someone else's lap. Or with someone in HIS lap. Just what was Ginny doing? The flirting? The tripping and falling ploy? It looked contrived to Hermione but she couldn't imagine what Ginny was trying to prove by it, unless she was trying to make Remus jealous. Were they having problems in their marriage? Oh here poor dear friend. Hermione had thought they were so happy, maybe there was some way she could help. 

Draco heaved a sigh and Hermione turned to him. 

"Sooo, how are feeling?" Draco looked at Hermione intently.

"I am feeling much better thank you." 

"I am so glad, I was worried. We all were worried I mean." Draco stammered to a halt. 

"Yes, well I'm feeling much better." 

"That's good. Yes, yes that's very good to hear." There was an awkward silence after Draco's words. Hermione wasn't exactly sure what she should say. 

May I walk with you to dinner?" Draco smiled in a very benign way and Hermione could think of no good reason to say no. Before she knew it her hand was tucked into the crook the crook of his arm and Hermione felt a small spark where her palm came into contact with the sleeve of his robes. 

Still smiling Draco led her down the corridor and toward The Great Hall. 

*********************

A/N Thanks again for all your reviews. Until next time, keep reading. :)


	8. Love's Labors, and Lost

Disclaimer in Chapter 1

*********************

Chapter 8: Love's Labors....and Lost.

*********************

"Accio wand! Accio Wand! ACCIO!" Hermione felt herself slipping and hurriedly tightened her hold on the limb of the tree in which she was TRAPPED. 

This was ridiculous! She would just climb down. She had climbed up so she could certainly climb down right? Right. She steeled her nerves and moved to try to find a foot hold. The second she moved, the branch wiggled a bit and Hermione felt as though she was going to be ill. 

"Hermione Granger, stop being such a child!" She muttered. 

It didn't help, she was just as scared as ever she was, and she cursed herself for having climbed up in the first place. A stupid move on her part. 

At the time it had seemed like the only course available. When she had come walking along the path and seen a piteously mewling Crookshanks up in the tree, she had simply acted on instinct. She had removed her heavy outer cloak and with it the wand that was in the pocket. She had then started climbing up the tree, to 'rescue' her cat. A cat, she realized, which didn't need the rescuing. This of course being something she had only figured out after he had nimbly crawled down, leaving her well and truly stuck. 

There had, of course, been at least a dozen clever options that she could have employed to remove her familiar from the tree. Just why she had chosen to climb the blasted thing was something that couldn't be explained. In fact it showed a frightening lack of her usual thoughtful consideration of all aspects of a situation. What was happening to her? Hermione Granger didn't go around climbing trees willy nilly. 

"Accio Wand! Accio Wand! Argh!" She tried that route again knowing full well that her wand would remain fifteen feet below her, tangled up in the pocket of her cloak. There were certain things a wizard was capable of doing without their wands. Levitating herself safely out of a tree was not one of them. It clearly would do no good to her present situation to mention that she could have kept both feet on the ground and used magic to retrieve Crookshanks. No it did no good at all, in fact it made Hermione even more angry at herself by thinking about it. 

She felt stupid for going up the tree, but just as stupid for the irrational fear that held her captive. It seemed a uncomplicated thing to simply go back the way she had come up, she had told herself that numerous times over the last hour. She had counted to ten, called herself a baby, and bargained with deities, but irrational fears are not something with which you can negotiate. So here she sat, like a very annoyed bird with frizzy brown hair. 

In a very little while the sun would be going down and the already chilly day would become even more so. If only she had kept on her cloak, if only she had her wand with her. If only she hadn't ever climbed the Damnable tree in the first place! 

"Accio Wand! Accio..." Her voice had taken on a tone of desperation. 

"Well, well, if it isn't Miss Granger." A sneering voice caused her to start and almost fall off her perch.

"What is it that you are doing Miss Granger? Field study perhaps." Professor Snape stood below her. After an initial look in his direction she quickly averted her eyes. It wasn't wise to look down. 

"Ha, ha, very amusing Professor." She wasn't overly amused with his little pun, not amused at all actually. Thinking about it she was really more cold and irritated than anything. 

"You do seem to find yourself in the most interesting situations, I take it you are unable to negotiate your way down?" Something like humor had started to creep into his voice. 

No Hermione was NOT amused at all. 

"So it would seem Professor. Would you be so good as to help me down?" She tightened her hold on the limb and ventured a look at Professor Snape.

"Well now, let me see. No...I don't think so. No. Indeed not." He looked up at her with a speculative gaze and just the startings of a sneer.

"No?" Her shocked tone didn't seem to change his expression at all.

"But, Professor, it will be dark soon, I have been here for over an hour already. What if no else comes?" She hoped she didn't sound as hysterical as she felt at the thought. It was one thing to be in a tree fifteen feet, at least, above ground in daylight where you can see where you are plummeting if you should fall, and another thing all together to be plummeting in the dark. 

"Humph! You Miss Granger have caused me no end of trouble since your arrival. I think I like the idea of you being some place where you can cause the least amount of damage." And with those words he walked away, swirling robes and all.

Hermione was silent, what had he meant she had caused him problems? She hadn't spent over ten minutes with him the entire time of her stay. If he was talking about the pictures she had put in his dungeons, well she had apologized and explained it was to get Draco back. He couldn't hold that against her could he? No, there had to be more, but what? 

With this new thought to occupy her mind, Hermione scarcely noticed the sun setting with much dramatic oranges and reds. 

**********************

Proffesor Snape felt like a school boy. This was like a dream come true. Hermione there all ripe for the saving, and Draco could just go and pluck her. 

Ha, ha! His step quickened, and he headed for the great hall. Surely she would be missed at mealtime and when she was he would 'let it slip' that he had seen her in the gardens. Ahh, yes this was good, very good indeed! 

He sighed with anticipation, free at last, the busy body children would finally know who was the mate and who wasn't. His reputation was as good as saved.

The foolish girl had brought this upon herself. After all "Rescue Hermione From Danger" hadn't even been on his list! 

**********************

Where was Hermione? Ginny couldn't seem to get a forkful of food successfully to her mouth, for all her door watching. 

She had stopped by the library to accompany her friend to dinner and found the restricted section empty. That in and of itself hadn't generated any fear, nor had the fact that there was no answer at Hermione's door. Missing meals however was not acceptable. 

Ginny looked down the table to Draco, he hadn't taken his eyes off the door. It was bad enough when Hermione was there, he didn't eat enough as it was. Now this. Ginny's medical training came to the fore. Draco and Hermione had to get together. This was very taxing on Draco, on everyone really. 

No matter what Remus said, if she didn't interfere no one else would, and then they might never get together. It was all up to her. She sighed and smiled at her husband who was looking at her with one eyebrow raised. 

Although, maybe it would be better to lie low for a day or two. 

*********************

Draco could feel the tension tighten his shoulders. Where was his mate? Where was Hermione? With all the things that had happened the last little while he didn't want her out of his sight. He had lost track of her late in the afternoon and assumed that she was heading toward her room to change before the evening meal, yet she wasn't here. 

He looked around the table, no one else seemed to even notice she was gone. Not that he wanted people to be watching his mate, but shouldn't they at least be concerned? 

He started shoveling food into his mouth, the sooner this meal ended the better.

********************

It was all Professor Snape could do not to laugh. (And that was saying something.) Draco seemed a bit frantic. 

He could put Draco out of his misery, but there was just one question...How long should he wait? 

In a very unconcerned fashion he savored the last few bites of trifle on his plate, then very deliberately caught the eye of the worried Veela. 

*******************

Hadn't Hermione read somewhere that when you stopped shaking from the cold that hypothermia was setting in? When the body stopped trying to warm itself my shivering wasn't it nearing the end? She couldn't remember every having been this cold before. She couldn't even curl in on herself to get warm, clinging, as she was, to the tree. Her fingers were numb, her toes were numb, her nose was starting to run. All in all it hadn't been the best afternoon. 

Damned cat! Damned tree! Damned Snape! Damned stupid wand! Damn Draco! Why shouldn't he be involved in the damning? He was, after all, the reason she was in a tree and not in some hotel room snugly in bed after another successful book signing. 

An owl hooted and she peered into the dark. She had never realized before how much she relied on magic and her skills as a wizard to make herself feel safe. She couldn't ever remember feeling scared of the dark before, after all she had dozens of hexes and spells at her disposal. Not that she was exactly scared now, a bit nervous perhaps. Not scared, certainly not! A wizard who had lived through the great war and been instrumental in bringing down the Dark Lord, scared? Never! 

The owl hooted again and Hermione let out a small squeak of surprise. Ok perhaps scared of the dark, and of heights, and to be honest she didn't really care for Mt. Trolls, and of course swimming in the ocean wasn't ever a good idea, but not scared of anything of much consequence other than those. 

For a moment Hermione thought her she was nearing the end, a bright sphere of light appeared and seemed to be coming closer. She waited for scenes of her life to flash before here eyes, but she was getting nothing. The circle of light seemed to have a faintly green glow and was bouncing a bit as it came nearer. 

"Pretty." Was her vague thought and she hadn't realized that she had spoken out loud until a voice called out her name.

"Hermione?" 

Never had she been so happy to hear her name being called out, even if it was by one of the people on her previous list of damned individuals. Draco Malfoy's voice was the most welcome thing she had ever heard. 

"Dra..." She coughed to clear her throat and tried again. "Draco! I am over here" The bouncing light came closer and closer. Soon she could see Draco standing under her tree with the end of his wand glowing like a little pale green sun. 

"Hermione?" He was looking around. 

"Up here." 

Draco raised his face and wand. At seeing her wrapped around a branch, both his eyebrows rose. 

"For Merlin's sake what are you doing up there?" 

"I was rescuing Crookshanks" Came her chagrined response. 

"Crooksh..." He moved his wand around better to focus the light on the rest of the tree obviously looking for her cat. 

"Oh, I see. Well it seems that you did a fair enough job with the rescuing bit, except maybe...one minor detail?" A grin appeared on his features that warmed Hermione right up. Her blood started to boil, he was making fun of her. How dare he?

"Draco! I am not in the mood, I have been trapped in this tree for hours, I am cold and hungry and I can't feel my fingers anymore. If you are planning on just standing there like some court jester you can just go away and not come back again!" She wound down after her little speech and felt the better for it. If Draco did nothing else he made her forget her fear by needling her until anger replaced it. 

"I am coming up. Just hold on." He placed the blunted end of his wand into the soil so that the tip shone upwards still lighting their general surroundings. 

He wasn't planning on leaving his wand down there was he? Oh no that was where all the problems had started, just what they needed BOTH of them stuck in a tree with no wand and freezing to death. Yes that would make a romantic ending to this whole Veela relationship. One for the story books no doubt. Only one problem, Hermione didn't intend on being fodder for the tender hearted.

"Draco, don't leave your wand, how will we get down?" Her voice was a bit high-pitched and she cleared her throat again to bring it back to the normal register. 

Draco had the audacity to laugh at her words.

"We will climb down." He swung himself up onto a low branch and started making his way upward to Hermione. 

"Humph, that's what I thought." She muttered under her breath.

"What?" 

"Nothing." Her voice sounded a bit defeated. 

*********************

Draco wasn't concerned, children climbed trees, and even though he was considered (in some circles at least) to be a snotty, high brow, muckity muck, he had still been a child. And as stated before, children climb trees. Granted it had been a while but one doesn't forget how to do something like that. To him it was fun. He was rescuing his damsel, not from sure death or anything, but at the very least frostbitten toes. 

He climbed steadily higher, his body remembering how to reach and find toe holds, the bark of the tree abrading the skin on his hands somewhat. He would have a few blisters and scrapes to show for his bravery tomorrow, maybe Hermione would be properly thankful and rub salve into his wounded flesh. If he actually believed there was much real chance of something like that happening he would make sure he scraped more than the palms of his hands. He smiled in wicked delight at the thought and kept climbing. 

The branches had thinned and he could feel them give under his weight, he wouldn't be able to climb all the way to Hermione or their combined mass could very well cause a branch to break. From the way she was clinging and cringing at every vibration of the tree he could only assume she was petrified. 

How was he to coax her down to him? Maybe reasoning would work.

"Hermione, I can't come all the way up, but I can reach your feet and will guide them to the right places. Now slowly back up along the branch."

She didn't move or say anything.

  
"Hermione, did you hear me?" 

"Yes I heard you, and I can't...won't move. Go down and get your wand and grow stairs or something." She sounded like a petulant child. Her tone almost made him laugh. She usually tried so hard to be so grown up and mature, even as a child when he had done horrible things to irritate her, she had still held that mantle of maturity tightly around herself. Clearly in this state, reasoning with her wouldn't work, and he was NOT going to go down and use his wand to grow stairs onto the bloody tree. She could forget that idea right enough. 

He guessed he would have to irritate her then. That had always gotten a response.

"So let me get this straight then, a witch who was a great defender of the Light and fought in a the final battle is scared of climbing down a little tree? Hmm, interesting." He made his tone as dismissive as possible. Now to see how long it took her to process those words.

"What do you mean 'hmm, interesting,' Well?" She turned her head and tried to glare at him, but almost fell in the process.

He made sure to pause a moment as if in deep thought before answering her.

"Nothing. Nothing at all." He heaved a great (fake) sigh. "I suppose if you insist I can rouse Filch and Dumbledore and they can come help me fetch you down if you really are incapable of backing up less than five feet to get to me." He sighed again.

"Fine, I will back up the five bloody feet! But you better NOT let me fall!" Her voice was filled with the temper he was used to her displaying in his presence. 

******************

"Hermione, I would never let you fall!" His words were so sincere that Hermione forgot herself for a moment and turned to look him in the eye. Not willing to comment upon what she found there she turned her attention to scooting backwards along the branch toward the trunk of the tree. She then placed her feet where Draco guided them, and finally lowered herself into his arms. A shiver moved over her at her relief, granted they weren't out of the tree yet but she felt safe again all the same. 

"There not so hard. Hmm?" He breathed into her ear, causing more shivers to tiptoe along her neck. Of course it was probably just the cold air. 

"Lets get down from this tree now shall we?" He went down a branch and then held his hand up to her to assist. The tingle that she felt when touching that warm skin didn't fade away quickly, but caused a warmth to settle itself into her stomach. His eyes turned to hers quickly at the feeling between them. It was clear that this was some sort of Veela thing going on here, and she didn't want to know.

"Are we going to climb down or not?" She frowned at him, but he seemed frozen.

*******************

Looking up at Hermione with her hand in his, that tingle of power between them caused a flush to cover his cheeks, and not from embarrassment, Malfoy's didn't get embarrassed. (except maybe when falling off his chair in a room full of students, but we won't mention that.) 

He was so warm suddenly that the evening air had no affect on cooling his skin. 

He needed to get Hermione down from the tree so that he could press her against himself and luxuriate in her scent. Wrap her around him, taste her, thread his fingers through her hair. 

The Veela instincts were pushing hard against his mind, insisting that he complete the bond with his mate. Now! 

He shook his head to clear his thoughts and took a couple of deep calming breaths, which would have been more calming if she hadn't been so close that he could close his eyes and taste her scent on his palate. 

He gripped the tree with his free hand, forcing the bark to cut into him. Hoping the pain would help him gain some semblance of control. He hit the trunk with his fist and felt the skin on his knuckles break, the sudden sting made him hiss and the mad thoughts left his mind as quickly as they had come. 

Hermione was looking at him with something akin to fear in her eyes. It seemed she knew how close he had come tonight to losing control. This is not how he wanted things to go with her. 

"Well, are you planning on taking up residence here, or should we go down to ground level?" He forced an half grin onto his face. 

******************

Despite being much closer to the ground, Hermione suddenly didn't feel a bit safe. The Veela parts of Draco were fighting hard within him and she could feel their pull towards her. Everything she read had indicated that the attractions would become stronger as the bond tightened. She didn't want the bond to tighten. She had to find a way to get around this. She couldn't work up any hatred for Draco like she used to be able to, but still and all she didn't WANT to be his mate. 

She followed him silently down, at the very bottom branch he jumped down and held his arms up for her. She hesitated. 

"Come on Hermione, you are cold and tired and hungry, remember?" He goaded.

"Come now, I won't let you fall, count of three...One...Ooomph!" Hermione hadn't waited until three, she hadn't really been paying much attention at all to what he had been saying past the goading bit. And there in lie the mistake. Everyone knew that a person jumped on three. He hadn't been ready to catch her, until three. No one jumped on one, no one except Hermione Granger. 

They ended up on the ground with Hermione on top of Draco. All the air rushed out of him at impact and his eyes slid shut. 

"Draco, oh Merlin! Are you ok?" Hermione hadn't ever felt more embarrassed, she had practically cut him down, like the scythe of the Grim Reaper himself.

********************* 

Draco hadn't been ready and so when she had come flying out of the tree towards him all he could do was try to cushion her fall with his body. He had done such a good job that all the air was forced out of him and he could see bright points of light behind his eyelids. 

For a moment he thought he might lose consciousness. That feeling passed, and then the humor of the situation rushed forward. He had imagined her in his arms many times before, but certainly not like this. 

The rather inelegant circumstances sparked his sense of humor. Yet another moment with her where things have been somewhat less than he had hoped. 

His eyes blinked up into Hermione's and the look on her face started him laughing. Oh Merlin's beard did she look guilty. 

She quickly removed herself from him, all elbows and knees in the wrong places which caused him to laugh all the harder. He could hear her marching off through the underbrush muttering under her breath and still he couldn't stop laughing long enough to follow. 

It wasn't until many minutes later that he discovered that she had left her cloak and wand behind. He shrugged. Great, another 'foreordained' meeting, he couldn't wait. 

**********************

TBC

A/N Once again to my faithful reviewing crew, you all are the best. I enjoy your thoughts on the story, some of what might seem like random comments to you really strike a cord with me, in reference to writing this story. SO THANKS for both your insights and support. I am still having far too good a time writing this. :) 

I will see you next time. 


	9. Outted

Disclaimer: In chapter one

***********************

Chapter 9: Outted

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__

The branches shook and quivered making her grasp them more tightly. Fear seemed to be her constant companion. There wasn't any question of her making it out of here alive, she could feel her grip becoming more and more tenuous. 

Far down below her the wolves lunged themselves against the tree. Their faces split in toothy grins. They weren't about to let their prey get away. 

Her throat was raw with screaming. Funnily enough she couldn't recall whose name she had been yelling, but in the back of her mind it seemed very important that she remember. 

The moon shone down through the leaves creating a dappled effect across her skin, her bare arms shone a silver against the black of the tree.

Her eyelids felt so heavy, it didn't seem worth the effort to stay awake. But she knew if she relaxed she would plunge to the ground and be devoured by the snapping canine jaws. 

A strange warmth settled itself over her and she drifted slightly without meaning to.

She jerked awake and found herself falling. As she fell she screamed and as she screamed she fell. Ever closer to the gaping maws below her. Her arms and legs flailed the air and her screams split the night. 

But then something odd happened. The nearer to the ground she got the more relaxed she felt. It felt as though she had been falling for hours and she righted her body in the air until she was on her stomach with her arms and legs out, floating softly down. Like a leaf she fell. She could see the wolves blow her looking up, their growls stopped and they stared above and past her. 

She oriented and turned over onto her back. Winging toward her was some creature. Out of the frying pan into the fire apparently. She was trading certain death below for almost certain death from above. Yet the fear did not return, the sweat dried on her body and she closed her eyes her arms flung wide. 

Mere feet from the ground she felt herself snapped up and then strong wing beats pulling her into the air. A warm hand was pushing the tangle of hair from her face and she opened her eyes. 

Draco, with his skin glowing softly, was smiling down at her. Slowly she turned her head away and saw that she didn't recognized the creature on which they were flying. All she knew is that she felt safe at last. They winged their way across the sky to the last howl of the wolves far below them.

She drifted along being caressed softly by Draco. Her eyes had drifted closed again. It may have been hours, or days until she opened her eyes to the feeling of the back beat of the creature's wings. They were landing. Looking around she could see that they were landing on the broad stone courtyard of a large castle. The back draft of the wing beats created a small whirlwind rocks and twigs were whipped around wildly. 

Her hair was blown across Draco's face and he turned her toward him carefully pushing back the strands. Helping her from the creature's back he led her up a shallow set of stairs and into a room that resembled the great hall of Hogwarts. 

The room was filled with candles floating ten feet above the room, just as they were during feasts at school, and the room was filled with smiling laughing faces. Everyone was dancing, spinning in time with music that she heard for the first time. Before she could ask Draco where they were he spun her around and into the dance. Her breath was taken away with the whirling. Contentment filled her and she was dipped and twirled in safe in Draco's arms....

Hermionesighed in her sleep and rolled over hugging her pillow as in the dream she danced on and on. 

*********

Draco fought his way out of the blankets on the bed, blankets that seemed determined to strangle him. He struggled to a sitting position and pushed the hair out of his eyes. His heart was beating so rapidly he was afraid he would have a heart attack if he didn't calm down. He held up his arm, and besides the sweat that was pouring off his body, his skin was giving off an iridescent glow. 

Why in the world had his Veela charms gone rabid on him in his sleep? It wasn't as if he had even been near his mate. This wasn't normal. As much as he didn't want to have to admit it, the potion, that Ginny was giving him, didn't seem to be working very well anymore.

When the time came when the potion no longer worked, and if Hermione still wasn't ready to become his mate, he was very afraid his only out would be death. 

**********

Hermione was waiting in line with a group of students for their dose of Anti-Veela Charms potion. Last night's dream had been the deciding factor. Things were starting to get too close for comfort. She had dreamed of Draco. Dreams not nightmares as one would expect. Dreamed about Draco Malfoy and enjoyed it! It was clear his Veela charms were acting upon her. She couldn't take that chance, not before she found an actual cure for them...him. 

**********

Ginny looked up from measuring a dose of tincture and noticed Hermione standing with a group of students. It wasn't until Ginny gave the student her prescribed amount and the next in queue moved up, that Ginny realized Hermione too was IN the line. 

What did she think she was doing? There was no way Ginny was going to give Hermione any Anti-Veela potion. No way on earth! That would completely defeat the purpose. What game was she playing?

***********  
  
It was clear that Ginny was trying to catch her attention, but Hermione was pretending she didn't notice. The students weren't yet aware that Hermione was Draco's mate so there was no way that Ginny would be willing to make a scene and refuse to give Hermione the potion. At least that was the premise she was working on. 

Hermione stood in line, eyes averted, silent. 

************

Another set of interested eyes watched Hermione in line. Severus Snape's stare was fastened to the sight of Hermione's bushy head as it bobbed along with the students in line. What did the silly child think she was doing? She was THE MATE, there was no way that she was going to get out of it as easily as taking a potion. Not if he had anything to say. This whole thing needed to be resolved so he could skulk along his dungeons in peace! He moved closer to the line and kept careful watch to see how Mistress Lupin was going to deal with the proceedings. This could be very interesting indeed. 

**********

Finally, after what seemed like hours of standing in line, Hermione reached Ginny. She smiled and opened her mouth.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ginny whispered.

"Coming to take my potion." Hermione responded, not making eye contact.

"I can't give this to you!" Ginny's voice raised slightly.

"Ginny, I need the potion." Hermione touched her friend's arm and looked into Ginny's eyes.

"Hermione, I am NOT going to give you and anti-Veela charms potion!"

"Ginny!"

"If you think you are getting this you are crazy!" Ginny shook her head and stared at Hermione.

"Why Ginny, just give me the potion!" Hermione was slightly desperate now. 

"You know why I can't! And don't even THINK about brewing it yourself!" 

"Why?" Hermione asked, knowing quite well why she couldn't, but hoping her friend wouldn't be willing to make a scene and would just give in.

"Because silly girl you are DRACO MALFOY'S MATE!" The words were said quite loudly, and by a decidedly masculine voice. Both Ginny and Hermione whipped around. There stood Severus Snape with a smirk on his features and his arms crossed over his chest, in pure Snape fashion. 

Neither she or Ginny said a word. Well it seemed that Professor Snape had finally had enough of the whispers about himself and Draco. Damn. 

************

Severus stalked down the corridors with a satisfied expression on his face. All around him he heard the news spreading about Hermione and Draco. It felt wonderful. No more speculative glances in his direction. 

Finally things would get back to normal.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor Miss Conrad!" He sang out and with a spring in his step he left the main floor and headed towards his potion lab to work in peace. Ah yes, everything back to normal!

************

Draco knew he was late to the great hall for the evening meal, he hurried a last corner and straightened his robes before going inside. 

He made his way to the head table and could feel all eyes on him, the room was strangely silent. He got to his place and turned to look at the room at large. No one spoke. Didn't they all take their potion today? He looked at his skin, no ambient charm that he could detect was escaping. So it couldn't be that. 

Okay. Strange, he sat down and picked up his fork and it was as if the floodgates had been opened, the room was like normal, everyone was eating and talking. Draco shrugged and began his meal.

It wasn't until halfway through his own food that he looked down the table to Hermione. She was poking at her food and rearranging it on her plate. Ginny was staring at her with a strange look on her face. Had they had some sort of argument, or was Hermione's problem the usual one? This was all getting so hard on all of them. Draco really couldn't think of a way to make it easier. 

Movement caught his eye and he noticed Severus was eating with much more enthusiasm than normal. Well at least someone's life was untouched by all the drama. Of course his past experience of the potion master had shown him to be a man not ruled by passions but by cold hard facts. So of course Severus wouldn't be affected by what was going on around him. 

Draco continued eating, not noticing that the majority of the conversation in the great hall was about himself and his mate HERMIONE.

************

Crookshanks growled. It was clear he wasn't amused by the lack of attention that Hermione had been showing him lately. It seemed he thought some re-training was going to be necessary. The first step had been to wake her up well before dawn to his stomping on her chest and howling his displeasure. 

She stumbled out of bed and put out some food for him, then cleaned the water in his bowl with a charm. A half hearted pat and she was heading back to bed. 

Apparently he wasn't going to let that happen, he tangled himself in her long nightgown and legs until finally she stopped moving all together and picked him up.

She nuzzled him to her and breathed softly into his fur, just like he liked it. 

She could feel her tension easing with the sounds of Crookshanks purring. 

Hermione had spent most of yesterday in her room trying to get away from the eyes that seemed to be watching her at every turn. Now that the truth was out and she was known as Draco's mate it had been impossible to go anywhere without the talk starting. This was much worse than it was before. 

She placed her familiar on the bed and went to shower and dress for the day. Once she started thinking there was no need to try to get back to sleep even as early as it was.

****************

Professor Snape was sleeping the sleep of the just. His dark eyelashes rested on the pale skin of his cheeks, his breathing was deep and even. He slept as he hadn't for weeks, months actually. 

***************

Hermione's wand cast a small pool of light as she walked along the halls heading for the library. Everything was completely quiet in the pre-dawn school, giving her time to think. Thinking seemed to be all she did since coming to Hogwarts. Thinking and not liking the answers she was giving herself. 

A hand shot out of the dark and pulled her into an alcove. She bit back a scream when a hand went over her mouth and the familiar tingle rolled up her spine. 

Pushing lose she spun around and glared at Draco. She hadn't seen him this close since he had brought back her wand and cloak from the other night's misadventure in the tree.

"What do you want Draco?"

"I am just doing my normal rounds. But why are you sneaking around in the dark?" 

"I am not sneaking." Hermione shook her head. 

He raised his eyebrow.

"I'm not sneaking, I have every right to be going to the library. Just like anyone else." She flung back at him.

"In the middle of the night?" He mocked.

She set her jaw and didn't say a word, it was none of his business.

Fair enough, let me walk with you?" He turned and started toward the library.

Hermione couldn't figure Draco out. It was true he had brought her to Hogwarts in the first place and told her she was his mate. He did seem to like to make fun of her, and tease her, but most of the time he didn't act as if he had any romantic interest in her at all. Not that she wanted him to have interest in her, or anything. It was just odd that was all. 

"Here watch your step." He grabbed her hand bringing her out of her thoughts. 

Draco gestured at the staircase, with an obvious faulty step. Someone had been setting pranks again. A wave of his wand and a muttered phrase triggered the practical joke, a rush of vine grew from the stair seeking tendrils looped themselves upward so quickly that if either of them had been on the stair they would have been ensnared within the sticky branches before they had time to do anything. Hermione's nose wrinkled as she smelled the sap that flowed freely from the plant. 

"Incendio" Draco muttered and the vine burned away to nothing. 

"Thank you." 

"My pleasure." He didn't release her hand but started up the staircase, pulling her along behind him.

Hermione was wondering if she should make some sort of conversation with him when suddenly Draco pulled free from her hand and stalked quickly down the hallway. 

"Well?" He said into the dark. 

Hermione stood where she was watching his broad back. To whom was he talking?

"Don't make me start deducting more points than the ones you are already going to lose. Come out." His voice took on a silky quality that made Hermione's hair stand on end.

"Sorry Professor." The voice was heard before a student stepped out of the dark and into the circle of light cast by Hermione's wand. How on earth had he known the child was there? She hadn't heard a thing.

"What are you doing here?" Draco glared down at the boy and glared.

"I was...I was umm...uh. I..uh...Nothing Professor Malfoy!" Well that was conclusive, it was all Hermione could do not to chuckle. She remembered being frightened to death of being caught breaking the rules when she had gone here to school, and felt a moment's pity for the boy. 

"That will be 30 points from Slytherin, now get back to your dorms immediately Mr. Winslow." He swept his arm to the side and the student hurried past him, only pausing for a moment to look at Hermione. His young face filled with something sly and he continued on his way. Oh great it looked like this would be all over the school by morning. Draco and herself alone in the middle of the night. Why? Why? Why was she so unlucky?

Hermione didn't wait for Draco to rejoin her, she walked off not looking back.

His hand taking hers startled her and she tried to pull away. 

"Come now Hermione. You are going the wrong way, has it been so long since you have spent time in the library?" The clear mockery could be heard from him, and rightly so, she looked around and discovered she was indeed heading the opposite direction from the library. Damn Draco Malfoy all to HELL!

She allowed him turn her and stomped at his side, not even trying to hide her displeasure. 

**************

Even though he could feel Hermione's anger with him it did nothing to lessen Draco's enjoyment of walking along holding her hand. She didn't allow him to get close very often, and he didn't care the reason behind it. He was going to take what was given and not question it. 

**************

TBC

**************

A/N I realize that things are moving slowly between Draco and Hermione, but I don't apologize for that, Hermione doesn't seem like the type to just roll over in chapter one and snog Draco silly, no matter how much I would love to think she would. 

M- I am so excited that you like this. Its nice for someone I "know" to like this! :)

Spaced out- I can't wait to read your take on the Hermione/Draco Veela idea..there isn't enough of it out there in my opinion! 

I want to say THANKS a million to all the reviewers that take the time to drop me a line. I appreciate it very much! Thanks for hanging with me even with the long lapses. Any glaring mistakes please let me know! 


	10. Having a Field Day

Disclaimer: In Chapter One

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Chapter 10: Having a Field Day 

************

Hermione had spent the early morning hours pouring over the books and still nothing. She couldn't give up hope, but it seemed that there was nothing in them at all to help her cure Draco. 

The rational part of her, which was usually the large and in charge part of her brain, was saying "Hermione IF there was a cure for The Veela Inheritance then someone would have mentioned it before now and you wouldn't be here scouring obscure reference books." She had to be honest, in her mind, healing him was secondary to freeing herself. At this point it wouldn't do to pretend to having overly altruistic reasons. She was working purely on instinct and panic, her whole life could change. She didn't want her whole life to change. 

In the past people had put great stock in the studies and theories of Hermione Granger, this was not one of those times however. This was the most hopeless of cases. Most people would have just given in, placed themselves on the alter of Draco Malfoy like a sacrificial lamb and tried to make the best of it. Hermione was not most people. 

This was her sixth time to read the passage and it still said exactly what it seemed to say the first time. _'...once the mate is designated there is no choice but for the match to go forward." _No matter how many times and ways Hermione tried to read the passage it just refused to change into anything that even resembled that her being Draco's mate was either OPTIONAL or a decision. 

She slammed the book shut and rubbed the heal of her hand into her eyes. They were burning and her head was starting to ache. Just like Draco Malfoy to turn something enjoyable like study into torture. It was clearly all his fault! How dare he CHOOSE her as his mate? How dare he? Dare? Maybe not his choice, but still he could have done the right thing and just left her alone and gone off and died, like a gentleman...Ok...she didn't want him to die, per se. If he could just maybe drop off the face of the Wizarding world and she never had to see him again, that would be ok too. 

Hermione recognized the direction of her thoughts as not exactly helpful and certainly not nice. She shook her head and laughed at how insane this whole thing was making her. She stood and stretched, it wouldn't help to miss breakfast. She placed the book back on the shelf and left the library. 

**************

So far that morning Draco had almost died three times and it wasn't even time for breakfast, but he had learned something interesting from one of his would be assassins/matchmakers. It seemed that the student body was finally aware of who his mate was. If he had been able to smile past his swollen lips he would have. 

A little unwanted help from unlikely sources could help. If it didn't KILL him first. The bludger seemed to have been step one in "bring Draco to the brink of death, and HOPE Hermione lifts her head from behind her book and notices."

Granted he didn't see this as the best laid of plans, and that wasn't even because he couldn't feel his left leg. It was simply that Hermione was not the sort to be taken in by displays of that nature. She didn't do well with subtleties and in any case he feared if they succeeded, his death wouldn't exactly send Hermione into widow's mourning! Probably throw a party, more likely. 

So this left him pretty much where he was before, but now he had to watch over his shoulder far more carefully. He groaned at the thought and felt a searing fire of agony rush across his bruised throat. One more small sigh and he turned and hobbled away toward the infirmary. 

**************

Someone was very interested in all the goings on in the castle that morning. It was as though his fondest dream and desires had come true. Students running amuck trying to kill off staff members. Well one staff member, which seemed like a good start. It didn't matter much to him the cause of all this "helpful" behavior. He didn't question it, nor care.

He smiled as he floated along. 

Peeves was an opportunist, and this included finding fun when there was fun to be had. 

No, he hadn't had a better day in centuries. Of course the Headmaster would probably stick his tall pointy hat into it and things wouldn't remain interesting for very long. It was best Peeves helped out now while he still had the chance. 

Yes helping was really what Peeves liked to do most. 

Helping!

Helping! 

Helping!

He sped down the hall and popped through the wall disappearing. Only one thought in his nasty little mind.

Helping Draco Malfoy, right into the grave, perhaps? 

**************

Professor Snape had noticed one thing on his way to the Great Hall for breakfast, things weren't as perfect as he had hoped. 

While the students were no longer speculating about him, he still had to hear them talking about how to get Hermione and Draco together. Listening to their annoying little plans would drive him to distraction he feared. It was now clear that until Draco Malfoy had gotten his mate and was 'happy' Severus Snape was still not going to be left in peace. Frankly he was tired of all the tittle tattle! 

There were even students saying that Draco Malfoy was "more frightening" than he, Severus Snape, was. Ha, that would NOT do. Not do at all. He had a reputation to uphold, and no love sick Veela was going to steal his thunder. 

He replaced the scowl on his face to one he considered more threatening and moved his way through the halls, there were plots and schemes that needed his attention. Back to the list. 

Why was everything always up to him?

************

During his first class Draco heard a tapping on his window. Taking time out of his assigning 3 feet of equations to his fourth year students he turned to find that there was an owl waiting patiently on the sill outside. An owl? During class time? This set him in motion, generally no owls were employed during class time unless it was from his family or an emergency. 

He moved quickly across the room and opened the window. The owl hopped inside and held out its leg. Draco removed the note and with a pat to the owl, opened the letter and read. 

A smile spread across his face. A smile that made the students in his class cringe in fear momentarily. A smile could indicate anything, it could mean he had evil plans to assign more work than they could possibly do and then take points when it wasn't completed. (It could mean that he was going to start foaming at the mouth like an insane person.) Smiling never boded well for his students these days. 

Draco put the letter inside the breast pocket on the inside of his robes and patted it. Turning back to his class he assigned them a chapter of silent reading and went to his desk to think. 

The students continued to tremble in fear, and kept as quiet as possible. There was no need to draw undue attention upon themselves. 

*************

Hermione had gotten three letters during breakfast but since every single eye in the entire great hall was on her, she had decided to wait until she was alone to read them. 

__

Hermione,

I have tried on numerous occasions to change your mind about what you are doing. I have attempted to remind you that you have a contract. You have obligations, but you refused to listen and now I have no choice but to take legal action. You will be receiving a letter from my attorney outlining your breach of contract and the steps I am going to have to take to repair the damage you have done to my reputation. 

I had thought that our professional business arrangement would be one that led to great things for both of us. I am sadly dismayed by your actions. Do not attempt to make contact with me personally, I have no interest in speaking with you again, I have done all I can. Any further communication will be handled through my legal department. 

Theodosia Gurgling

The smile was wiped from Hermione's face. Just what she needed more complications. 

As she suspected there was a letter from her attorney, attached, letting her know that he had been contacted about her breach of contract. He had outlined her legal options. There were very few. She was going to owe her 'former' manager a great deal of reparation. Not that her bank account wasn't large enough to handle it, but that wasn't the point. Hermione Granger was a person of her word, she followed through with her obligations. The damage to her reputation was far more important than the money she would have to spend. 

She sighed then opened the small scrolls that the last two owls had brought .

__

Hermione,

Meet me in the South Tower room 10:00 tonight! We need to talk.

Ginny

She quickly read the second scroll as well.

__

Miss Granger,

I must speak with you as soon as possible, this is urgent. Meet me tonight 10:00 in the South Tower. Come alone. Tell no one. 

Your Friend,

Ginny Lupin

A bit formal and why all the secrecy? Hermione read both again. A bit odd. 

Then a thought occurred, maybe it was about Ginny and Remus's marriage, Ginny had tried to make him jealous after all. Maybe her friend was in trouble. Hermione's own problems could just be set aside for one night, to help her friend. If Ginny wanted to meet, the least Hermione could do would be to go and talk to her. 

Some people might think she had no honor, or that she couldn't be trusted to keep her word, but she would not shirk her obligations of friendship! 

*************

The halls were empty and dark and if Remus hadn't had his preternatural vision he never would have noticed Ginny hurrying down the corridor. He called out to her, but she seemed intent upon her destination and didn't even look around. Where was she going at this hour? It was almost quarter past ten. 

She had left the Great Hall for their rroms long before he started his curfew enforcing stroll through the halls. In fact she had said her head was aching and that she was going to have a long soak and then get into bed, for an early night. Yet here she was. 

This deserved further investigation. He turned the corner and could see his wife's receding back. His keen eyesight picked out the furtiveness of her movements even in the dark. She was obviously doing something she oughtn't. More than likely she was involving herself in Draco and Hermione's romance again. 

He saw Ginny's footsteps quicken and his heartbeat did the same. The thrill of a chase started his blood to pounding in his ears. 

He looked around, seeing there was no one nearby he hurried his steps. Anyone watching his long even strides would have known immediately that Remus Lupin was not a normal man, he moved like what he was, a child of the moon and night. Smooth strides carried him down the corridor at a unnatural pace. 

So intent was she, on her stealthy movements, Ginny didn't notice her husband until it was too late.

*************

Ginny hadn't heard a sound, so when she found herself suddenly propelled against the wall by a large force, she stopped breathing for a moment. Wriggling in the tight grasp trying to free herself from the iron grip on her upper arms, seemed like a futile thing. There didn't appear a way to get free. The scream rose in her throat and then died as warm lips covered her own. 

Remus? Her mind instantly recognized his warmth and the feel of his hands on her body. She started to sink into his embrace and then remembered she had things to do. Besides what did he think he was doing scaring her half to death? She pushed her hands against his shoulders and turned her head to the side.

"Remus." She started. 

His raised his eyes to her, the pupils dilated, and a thrill ran through her. 

"Ginny..." He growled, and nuzzled her neck nipping slightly at the skin behind her ear. 

At the feel of his mouth on her neck she could feel her resolve slipping, just a few minutes couldn't hurt. She pulled his head up and drew their lips together again. 

*************

Hermione opened the thick door to the South Tower, leaving it slightly ajar behind her she moved into the room looking around. Why had Ginny wanted to meet her here of all places? Granted it was quiet and they wouldn't be bothered, but they could just as easily have met in Hermione's own room. It would have been, at least, warmer if nothing else. She wished she had worn a cloak over her robes. 

The moonlight streamed in through the series of windows high up along one wall, filling the room with light and shadow. She roamed around the empty room waiting for Ginny. 

"So, you really did come, I didn't think you would." Draco sounded astonished, but no more than Hermione herself. 

She whirled around and saw him standing in the half light, the moon shining off his hair. He was beautiful. The thought came unbidden to her mind. She tried to shake it away, but was not capable of doing anything but stand and stare at him. It was rare that Hermione was at a loss for words. 

She could feel the pull that indicated the Veela bond between them was active. Then as if drawn to her by an ever tightening thread, Draco came closer. The rustle of his robes as he walked became the only noise in the room. Hermione wasn't even sure she was still breathing. 

Draco stopped a few feet from her and smiled in disbelief. 

"I thought maybe it was a joke, when I got your note." He put his hand out toward her.

Hermione went to him as if compelled. It was certainly not a conscious decision on her part. One moment she was apart from him the next her hand was held tightly in his. It wasn't until he pressed his lips to her palm that she realized what he had said. 

"Wha...what note?" She stuttered, then cleared her throat. 

"The note that..." Draco's words trailed of with the slamming of the door behind him. 

Hermione jumped and broke contact with him. That noise seemed to break the spell in the room. The moon glow still streamed in, highlighting Draco perfectly as it had moments ago, but Hermione felt a sudden sick feeling in her stomach. What had she been thinking. 

She wiped her hand on her robe as if to remove his very touch from her. Why was he here? She had come to meet Ginny.

"What are you doing here Draco?" 

He searched her face with his eyes, looking at her as if he hadn't a clue what she was asking. How hard was the question?

"Well?" She put her hands on her hips.

"I got your note." He touched the breast pocket of his robe. 

"What note? I was supposed to be waiting for Ginny, but it looks as though she isn't going to show up." Hermione walked toward the door to leave.  
  
"You didn't send me a note?" Draco took her arm as she passed by, and the usual shiver rushed between them.  
  
Hermione felt trapped, she needed out. She shrugged out of his grasp and took the door handle.   
  
It was locked.   
  
"Alohomora" She waved her wand, and tried the door again. No response, it was still locked.  
  
"This is not funny Draco. Let me out." She turned to face him.  
  
"What?" He walked past her to the door and tried the handle as well.  
  
"I don't understand." He turned a confused face to her, but Hermione was not buying it.  
  
"Nice try Draco, sort of cliche though don't you think. Locked in a room together. What's next? The big seduction scene?"   
  
*********  
  
Draco was truly baffled, seduction scene? What seduction scene? He had been holding himself back for weeks, if he had wanted to unleash his attractions on her he could have and would have long ago. (Of course if he had thought that sort of tack would work with Hermione in the long run he would have had no compunction about doing that very thing.)  
  
He had been dancing around her objections for weeks, worrying himself sick. Taking the blasted suppression tincture that Ginny brewed for him. Yet it now appeared that Hermione was casting doubt on his behavior.   
  
The prideful part of Draco started to rise in anger at her accusations.  
  
"Hermione I have not idea what you are talking about, I have YOUR note right here in my pocket. The note YOU sent me, the note that told ME to meet you here at 10:00." he glared back at her.   
  
"I didn't write any note to YOU, but it seems sort of odd to me that we both end up in the South Tower." She trailed off and he picked up the implication right enough.   
  
"Don't aim your suspicions in my direction. With your rotten temper the very last thing I would want is to be trapped with you for any length of time." He turned back to the door and attempted a few more spells to see if he could get them out.   
  
It took him a few minutes to finally give up and realize that they were in there without hope of getting out until the person who locked them in, opened the door again.  
  
"Hmph!" Draco put his wand in his robe pocket and started pacing around the room.   
  
********  
  
Hermione watched him pace, back and forth between the streaming moonlight and shadows. His presence filled the room with a sharp tingle of power, and she decided very suddenly that there was no way she could spend an entire night here with him, alone.   
  
With a flurry of robes she pushed herself off from the wall and headed for the door again.   
  
"Alohomora!" She waved her wand, then tried the door again.  
  
"Alohomora! Aloho..."   
  
"I already tried that." Came Draco's mocking voice.  
  
Hermione put her wand away and moved away from the door, looking at it speculatively.   
  
"Help! Let us out!" She pounded her fists on the door.  
  
"Bloody hell Granger! Calm down."   
  
Hermione leaned against the door for a moment.   
  
"There is no way I can stay here all night with you." Hermione whispered into the wood of the door.  
  
"Well it doesn't look as if we are going to have much choice, and you going mental isn't going to help the situation."   
  
Hermione turned to see Draco seated on a very uncomfortable looking wooden bench. Which also happened to be the only thing in the entire room, on which to sit. The cold stone floor didn't exactly look inviting, but then neither did sitting next to Draco. Hermione stood weighing her options, trying to ignore Draco's pointed gaze.  
  
"I didn't GO mental. I was merely trying to raise someone's attention." Silence reigned again for a few minutes, Hermione determined to look everywhere but at him.   
  
"For Merlin's sake Granger, come sit down." He drew out her last name in a sardonic tone, and patted the seat next to him.  
  
Hermione still didn't say a word, but reluctantly flounced over and sat down.   
  
They sat for a few minutes and Hermione could feel the cold sinking through her clothing, right into her very bones it seemed. She wished again that she had brought a warm cloak.   
  
***********  
  
Draco could feel Hermione next to him shivering. 

An evil little imp in his mind started calling for him to OFFER to warm her up. Great way to get his face slapped more likely, and he remembered from his youth that she could pack quite a punch when she wanted. The best he could offer would be his casual outer robe which would leave him wearing only his trousers, socks and shoes. Something told him Hermione would rather die of hypothermia than see him even partially undressed.  
  
Time seemed to drag as the minutes ticked away. For a while Draco just sat and soaked in his nearness to Hermione, feeling her arm displace the air next to his own arm when she moved. Smelling the scent of her that wafted over him. It was all very exciting to his Veela side, and it remained exciting for a few minutes, but now he was bored. It wasn't enough just to soak in her presence, he wanted to...he let that thought trail away. He sighed. 

If he couldn't be doing what he really wanted he may as well at least try to talk to her.   
  
"So, here we are." Oh yes brilliant conversational start there Draco.   
  
Hermione looked at him.   
  
"Wonder how long we are going to be stuck?" He tried again.   
  
Hermione blinked very slowly and continued to look at him.

"Cold tonight, huh?" Why did fighting always work better than this small talk with Hermione?  
  
He sighed and opened his mouth to speak again, but was stopped when Hermione reached over and placed her hand over his mouth. He didn't think she had meant it as anything more than to forestall him from saying anything else so stupid, but when her bare skin touched his that familiar rush of electricity surged upward and engulfed them. 

***********

Remus stopped kissing Ginny and grabbed her hand, pulling her along toward their rooms. Ginny followed him for a few yards before her head cleared enough to remember what she had been doing prior to standing in a darkened corridor snogging her husband's face off like a teenager. 

Blast she had already been late when he had waylaid her. 

It took a few moments more for Remus to notice that she was struggling to get loose and not hurrying to get to their bed. 

He stopped suddenly and turned to her. 

"What?" 

Ginny searched her brain for some excuse to give her amorous husband, when all she really wanted to do was slip back into his arms. There was a good chance that Draco and Hermione would have come and gone by now. She didn't imagine they would have stayed around long enough to wait for her to lock them in. So maybe she shouldn't be wasting her time by haring all over the castle. Maybe she should just do what her body was screaming for her to do. 

"Ginny!" Remus had taken her by the shoulders and was shaking her lightly to draw her out of her inner struggle. She groaned, if only his hands on her arms didn't feel so good, she could think more clearly.

"Remus!" She said more loudly than necessary, given how close they were standing.

He snorted out a chuckle, fully aware of how she was feeling. 

"Yes? Ginny?" He leaned in, and breathed in her ear. Desire curled itself in her chest. Damn, her loyal personality, if she hadn't promised herself to help her friends she could be halfway back to her rooms by now. Damn, and Blast! 

"Don't you have your rounds to make?" Ginny blurted out before she lost her nerve.

"My rounds?" Remus dropped his hands from her arms, "Blast! You're right." 

Remus drew back and pushed his hands through the hair in which only moments ago her fingers had been tangled. 

"That's alright, I will just go and wait for you." She turned a saucy look at him and pushed him down the hall.

"Hurry!" She smiled and waited until he turned the corner before she took off running toward the South Tower. 

"Don't let me be too late, don't let me be too late!" She said as she ran along.

It was lucky that she didn't encounter any students or any others of the staff in her headlong dash through the castle. 

This plan just had to work. She must get Draco and Hermione together, if there was to be any peace at all. 

It was all up to her!

*************

  
TBC

**********


	11. Better NEVER Than Late

Disclaimer in Chapter One

*********

Chapter 11: Better NEVER Than Late.

********  
  
Hermione could feel the heat from Draco's lips against her skin. She hadn't thought about the consequences of her actions, she had just reacted to Draco's inept comments. Once again he was being an uncharacteristically blabbering idiot. She had reacted as she would have if Ron or Harry had been making a mess of things.   
  
Feeling all the hair rise on her body made her snatch her hand back quickly, holding it to her chest as if she had been burned. Draco seemed to light up more than usual, and his eyes were shining a strange silver. She could hear his breathing quicken, a soft groan escaped his lips. His eyes shone boring into her, scaring her with their intensity. She held completely still not sure what to expect, they were locked here together, if she raised his Veela instincts could he control them? A shudder of fear ran through her.   
  
Draco wrenched his eyes from her face and took a deep breath. Leaning his head forward he took more calming breaths, then got up from the bench and moved to the opposite side of the room panting.   
  
"I'm sorry." Hermione stated breaking the awkwardness.  
  
Draco turned to look at her worried face.  
  
"Nothing to be sorry about Hermione." He took another deep breath. " I know I sounded like an idiot, I'm only thankful you stopped me before I could dig myself in deeper." A conspiratorial wink at her accompanied the words.

  
He shook his hands and arms like a runner before a race, and then moved across the room to sit back next to her.   
  
"Its no wonder you are unwilling to accept being my mate. I can't even form complete sentences anymore, I would be an embarrassment to be around." He smiled a genuine smile at her.  
  
Hermione felt a bit uncomfortable with him talking about her being his mate. Of course since they were trapped together, what else would _he_ talk about.   
  
"You aren't an embarrassment Draco." She muttered half under her breath.  
  
"What was that? Granger? I couldn't quite hear you." Draco turned to her and smirked.  
  
"You aren't an embarrassment Draco, as you well know." She crossed her arms over her chest and attempted to stare him down.  
  
It didn't work. If anything his smile got broader.  
  
"So I am not an embarrassment. Then I suppose it must be because I'm so deformed, hunchback and all."   
  
"Yes Draco you're hideous that's the reason." She rolled her eyes at him, and then surprised herself by laughing. 

They smiled at each other in the dark of the room for a few minutes and for the first time since coming back to the castle Hermione didn't feel uncomfortable in the least. They both dropped their eyes and sat quietly. 

Silence reigned for a few minutes in the room, neither of them wanting to break it. It was finally Draco who cleared his throat and turned to her.   
  
"Hermione I know we had our differences growing up...I was a prat. Consider who my father is." He grimaced, "but can't you try to forget all that?"   
  
The earnest look on his face put a lump in Hermione's throat. It would be so easy if she loved him, but she didn't!  
  
"Draco, I can't just..." She trailed off, not knowing how to finish.  
  
"I'm not pretending that you can fall in love with me just like that." He snapped his fingers, "But can't we start over, try to be friends?"   
  
"Draco..."   
  
"Hermione, I don't want to pressure you, but its not as if either of us has any choice."   
  
Hermione made as if to interrupt him.  
  
"We don't!" He put up one hand. " I know you have been doing your studies, and I know what you will find too. I didn't think that I was going to come into my inheritance at all, and it was a shock to me when I started to manifest all the symptoms. I sat in the library for weeks hoping for some way to counteract the effects, or a cure, any way out." He shrugged.   
  
"But I don't want to marry ANYONE." She finally blurted out. 

He looked at her for a moment, his face deadly serious.   
  
"I had no intention of turning my own life upside down, let alone yours Hermione. I wish that we had a choice, I wish that I could have done this whole thing better." He breathed a deep sigh.  
  
Hermione didn't really know how to respond to any of it.   
  
They sat for a few more minutes.  
  
"Draco, I would like to try to start over, but I just can't stop my research. Do you understand?"  
  
**********

  
"I do understand." He said seriously, trying to keep the smile off his face, it was better than he had thought. Whoever had trapped them in the room together may actually have done some good. Not as much good as he would have liked, he thought wryly, but he would take what he could get.   
  
"I feel like I am so close. If I were able to find something then we wouldn't have to marry each other or anything." She turned hopeful eyes to him.  
  
"Hermione, I may not have wanted to marry anyone, but now I very much want to marry you and everything that comes with that." He stopped her from interrupting and continued. " I can't separate the reasons why. I don't know even if you did cure me if I would feel differently. Right now I can't tell the difference between what I feel for you and how love without the Veela side of me would feel." He wanted her to understand that this was not something that they could just wave their wands and it would all be gone.   


*********

Hermione didn't have anything to say to that. She had assumed that when she found the elusive 'cure' that things would be back to normal. No more marriage, mate talk. His last words put a new tack on things. She was still going to look though, and until then she supposed they would try friendship.

Friendship with Draco Malfoy? The thought should inspire fear or disgust, but instead Hermione could feel a warmth curling inside herself. 

Before she knew it she and Draco were talking like old friends. Hermione wasn't sure how long they had been talking when she heard a sound from the door. 

**********

"Do you hear that?" She had placed her hand on Draco's arm stopping him mid sentence. 

He breathed in her scent and smiled. Hermione touching him, on purpose, for any reason, was enough for him.

They both sat straining their ears and finally heard it again. A click sounded in the room. Someone was unlocking the door? She tightened her hold on Draco's arm and gave him such a bright smile that for a moment he couldn't breath. 

They both sprang to their feet and headed for the door. 

***********

Ginny had finally reached South Tower and stood for a moment trying to catch her breath. She was hot and sweaty from her run. It had been a few too many years between her Quidditch training and this sort of physical activity. 

She was pretty sure that Draco and Hermione would be long gone by now if they had ever come at all, but she still had to see.

She approached the door and found it closed. Touching the handle she discovered that it wouldn't turn. What was going on here? She had checked it earlier in the day and the door had been standing wide open. Blast, probably Filtch trying to keep students from using this as a trysting place. Busybody old man! 

She looked closer and could see a small key still in the lock a couple inches below the handle itself. Shaking her head she took the key and pulled it from the lock. 

"OUCH! Blast!" She dropped the key as it flared green and burned her fingers. She stood looking down at the key that someone had charmed. That left Filtch out. Why would someone put a spell on the key? She put her stinging fingers in her mouth and bit them lightly to stop the pain, and thought for a moment. 

She was still standing thinking when the door was wrenched open, causing her to nearly jump through the roof. She put a hand to her heart. 

"Ginny? What are you doing? How did you know we were locked in here?" Ginny's mouth dropped open at the sound of Draco's voice.

"I didn't know you were locked in there." Ginny hastily denied. "I was just walking by." She made walking movements with her hands. "And I heard a noise. Yes, a noise, that's what I heard. Sort of a high pitched....well in any case I didn't know you were locked in there... " She trailed off when she noticed that Hermione was standing behind Draco, both of them openly watching her struggle to make her excuses.

What did this all mean, she knew she hadn't locked them in there, together. And it certainly wasn't an accident with a key that had had a spell put upon it. Where did this leave things? 

"Night Ginny." Hermione said to Ginny who was still standing completely nonplussed by the events of the evening. 

**********

Draco had slipped Hermione's hand through his arm and she hadn't removed it. They continued talking as they had been before Ginny let them out. Small talk, words that meant very little in the grand scheme of things in their importance, but meant everything thing to Draco. There was no awkward feeling of distance between them. No taut moments fraught with uncomfortable silences. Draco could feel the blood rise with elation in him. It seemed that Hermione was truly going to try. The night couldn't get any better. He practically floated along beside her. 

Now that they had things more or less sorted out between them, it was time he started courting her in his own way. Which was why he was now walking her to her door, as a gentleman would. 

It took them a few minutes to reach Hermione's room, and they continued talking together. He noticed the smile on Hermione's face. 

"Well here we are." He removed her hand from his arm and moved to one side. "May I walk you to breakfast tomorrow?" 

Hermione blinked up at him then nodded. 

"See you in the morning then." Draco turned to leave, a smile on his lips. 

"Thank you Draco." Hermione's hand on his arm stopped him and he turned around to face her again. 

*********

She would never be sure why she had decided to do what she did. She did know that she had meant only to place a small kiss of thanks against his cheek. But when she had touched his arm and leaned up on her toes he had turned to her and she found her mouth not pressed to his hard cheek but to his lips instead. 

Even though the fire had flared through her when her fingers had touched the warmth of his lips earlier, it in no way prepared Hermione for the moment when her lips touched his for the first time. 

His mouth was soft and the heat of his breath fanned over hers, gently he covered her mouth with his own. He brushed lightly back and forth teasing her, building a strange friction between them. She gasped aloud at the sensation that rolled over her. 

Any shiver of excitement that she had felt before when she had touched him, paled in comparison to the stinging tingle of pleasure that flowed between them at this touch. 

The Veela instincts roared to life between them, engulfed them both, making every thing else fade to black. There was nothing but the heat rushing from their mouths to the other points of contact along their bodies. The sharp ache in her chest made her groan a soft vibration of sound from her open lips. Draco took quick advantage of her parted mouth to deepen the kiss, and sucked her lower lip into his mouth. Suddenly they were devouring each other like starving creatures. With tongues and teeth they fought for dominance over the other. 

The fury of feelings overwhelmed her and her hands clutched his sleeve, when it felt as though her knees were going to fail. Draco pulled her closer and cradled her in his arms, moving his mouth from her lips to press along her neck, sucking her salty taste onto his tongue. He breathed her into his open mouth and she could feel his lips form a savage smile against the pressure point. Her mind grappled to create some sort of meaning out of the pure sensation. Her clouded intellect was screaming at her to just feel. She gave up her last shred of coherent thought and twined her fingers through his hair. 

A deep sound rose from Draco's throat making her arch toward him, closing the already minute gap between them. Pulling his head fiercely to her, she let out a sigh of utter contentment, when he groaned into her skin. His lips played along sensitive nerves of her shoulders, marking her with nips of his sharp teeth. Her spine seemed to melt and she would have fallen if Draco didn't have her trapped so firmly in his arms. 

She bent her head back in supplication allowing him further access to her throat.

A sharp pain brought her back to her senses. 

She had hit her head against the closed door of her room. That one moment of pain had immediately broken the connection between them. It felt as though ice cold water had been thrown on her and rushed through her veins. She shivered. What had she been thinking? She stood slightly stunned in his embrace, struggling for breath. 

It only took a moment for Draco to notice her lack of participation, and he quickly released her, turning his back to the wall so they both stood side by side gasping for air like runners who had just finished a race.

Draco seemed to compose himself faster than Hermione thought possible, because one second she was looking at his flushed face and the next she was inside her room leaning against the closed door. Her hot cheek pressed against the cool of the wood, as her mind raced.

The ramifications of tonight were so far reaching she didn't even want to think about it. 

*********  
  
Draco had no idea what had just happened except that it was the most remarkable thing that he had ever had happen to him in his life. Hermione was certainly not the first woman he had kissed, but Merlin willing she would be the last. That was what kissing his mate was like? He had no idea how he was going to keep his hands off of her now that he knew it could be that perfect. His body was still on fire, the Veela instincts in him raging. 

It took a couple of minutes of deep breathing before he could calm himself enough so that he would be able to make it back to his rooms. The majority of his thinking processes were caught up in going back to Hermione's room and finishing what they had started. 

When he could think logically again, he thanked the 'self preservation mode' part of him that had the control to stop from ravishing Hermione when she had pulled away. He didn't think he had completely ruined things. 

A spring in his step, he made his way towards his rooms, never noticing two black angry eyes watching him. 

********

Severus Snape had to close his eyes and rub them before he finally believed what he was seeing. Draco Malfoy, out of the South Tower and poncing along the hallway like he had any business doing it! He should be locked up in the blasted tower with his INFERNAL mate, Hermione Granger. 

His black brows slid together to meet over his eyes. What in Hell had happened? Where was Granger? Was she alone in the room? He hadn't thought to look inside before locking the blasted thing. Damn! Damn! 

One could be forgiven for thinking that the potion's master was running down the corridors of Hogwarts, (so great was his speed) if it weren't for the well known fact that Professor Snape never ran. He perhaps was moving briskly and with purpose, but never would he lower himself to the ridiculous urgency of running...anywhere. Or so he told himself as he turned on his heel and stormed his way through the halls. 

The door to the South Tower was standing wide open when the Professor turned the corner. How in Merlin's name had that happened. He had charmed that key to withstand any sort of spells from inside. Someone had to have come and let them out! He could feel his fury rise. Turning to leave he heard a sound coming from the room. What? 

He silently sneaked toward the door. Looking inside he saw something that made his blood boil. GINNY LUPIN! Blast her. Standing in the room with his key in her had. The key he had carefully placed in the lock to KEEP THE DOOR CLOSED! 

"Colloportus!" he muttered in fury and the door slammed shut with a squelch. Serves the chit right! With a bit of a lighter heart (and step) he strode down to his dungeons for bed. 

**********

The next morning Hermione was attempting to do something with her frizzled hair, when there was a knock on the door. With a sigh, she turned and tripped over Crookshanks, which caused her to stumble against the edge of her bed frame banging her leg. The pain made her eyes water, lowering her mood even further. Swearing silently and clutching her leg she swung the door open. 

"What!" She demanded before she even saw who it was. 

"I thought that I could walk you to breakfast, unless you have other plans." Draco looked past her and into her room. 

She felt her face flame in remembrance of the night before, but Draco seemed to have forgotten all about it. He was standing looking completely innocuous. 

Well she wasn't going to be the one to bring it up. 

"Fine, let me get my wand." She shut the door in his face and scrambled around the room putting items in a study bag, then deciding at the last minute to re-comb her hair. Not that it seemed to help much. A twinge from her shin made her sit down and inspect her leg. Great there was a bruise starting. Glaring at a completely bored looking Crookshanks she grabbed her wand and opened the door again. Draco was standing where she left him. He didn't seem to be put out by her slamming the door in his face. He was smiling down at her like her best friend. 

Well if he could try then so could she, she supposed. 

He took her hand and settled it in the crook of his arm and they started toward the Great Hall. Draco kept up a steady stream of conversation, before Hermione knew it she had been charmed out of her bad mood. Charmed by Draco Malfoy? Who would believe that? 

That morning set the pattern for the next week, Draco would show up to walk her to the great hall for meals, they would talk. The first couple days Hermione was on edge waiting for the other shoe to drop, but never once did Draco bring up the kiss. 

**********

Ginny had decided that maybe she wasn't cut out to be a matchmaker. Of course she had had some help deciding that. Remus hadn't been amused when he had had to rescue her from the South Tower that morning. In fact he had been so intractable that she hadn't even been able to shame him into getting her way. Her "look" hadn't made any difference. He had told her in no uncertain terms that he was not going to fall prey to it ever again, nor had she been able to use to her advantage that that LOOK had been the thing that had gotten him to do the right thing and go to Harry's wedding. Harry who was practically his Godson now that Sirius was gone. None of her wheedling or pointed guilt tripping had done even an ounce of good. 

Ginny loved her husband, and for all that he was a werewolf it took a great deal to get his back up. Once irritated however he was so mulish that there was nothing to be done for it but for her to give in gracefully. It had taken her a few years of marriage to realize what battles she wanted to fight and which she would let die. 

It looked like Hermione and Draco were on their own. Well as far as she was concerned. There was after all still the mystery of the locked door. 

*************

It was at breakfast a week later that five owls flew toward Hermione, each of them jockeying for position to give her their packages. What in the world? She gave a bit of a treat to each owl then set forth to open the first box, it was small with green wrapping and orange bow. She pulled on the bow string and the package popped open. Inside nestled a small box of chocolates. She looked around and noticed that the room had come to a halt and was watching her carefully. 

She glared at Draco, this better NOT be his idea of wooing her. In public like this, he had offered her the friendship card and she had intended to play it for as long as they could. 

She turned the card over in her hand and opened it. There in neat green handwriting she found a message that told her immediately it wasn't from Draco, and that most likely that some first year had spent the whole of his/her allowance on the offering. 

__

Dearest Professor Granger,

You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, also I love what you have done with your teeth, very white. 

Please agree to be my mate so I will stop being such a prat to all my students.

If you love me you will kiss me right now, in the great hall. In front of everyone, I dare you. 

LOVE,

Professor Malfoy

She laughed and put the parcel aside. The next was a bigger box wrapped in yellow tissue and tied with a silver bow. Interesting combination. 

She removed the paper and found a strange stuffed animal that resembled a blast ended skrewt. Hmm, interesting, someone's idea of romance? Or a recycled gift? There was no message, she assumed she was supposed to think it was from Draco. Not even in her worst imaginings of him did she consider he was this hopeless. 

Next was a letter, on pink paper. 

__

Dear Hermie,

Shall I compare thee to a summers day?

For thou art, at least, 2 times as fair. 

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And ruffle up your frizzy hair. 

With April's first-born flowers, and all things rare 

And those gold candles fixed in heaven's air,

Then please believe my love's as fair

I greatly love your fluffy hair. 

Your Draco

Hermie? Creative plagiarism inspired by her hair? As impossible as this whole Draco's mate thing was, this was funny! She looked around the head table to discover that everyone was looking at her and then Draco, it was clear they thought he had stepped up in his courting of her. Ginny's mouth was open and she looked surprised to say the least. 

She would have given into her laughter if only Draco hadn't been glowering, his skin slightly luminescent. 

She turned to the other packages and put them to the side, picked up her fork she started eating. Time to look at the rest later.

**************

What in Merlin's name was happening here? Hermione was getting gifts? She was smiling? Draco didn't like it. She was smiling! Why hadn't he thought of that? She was HIS! 

He could feel the jealousy rise in him. He wanted to pick her up and take her away from this, and teach her to whom she belonged. That thought dragged him out of his anger and he pushed his chair back. He strode from the room to get himself under control. That was not the way to deal with Hermione, not now, not when everything was going so well. 

He left the castle and walked, breathing in deeply trying to calm his Veela instincts, which were still raging in him. He took another long even breathe and counted slowly. 

Suddenly something dawned on him, completely cutting through his anger, leaving him clear headed. Could this be the work of their matchmakers? Maybe 'almost' killing him, and locking them in rooms together was not enough. This brought a whole new light to what happened in the Great Hall. But wait, Oh no, would Hermione think he had sent that stuff? He had seen that stuffed skrewt. That couldn't be helpful to his case, but it was funny. 

With a sigh Draco turned back to the castle and headed for his first class of the day.

************

Hermione let out a long breath when Draco stormed from the room. Well we were back to that again it seemed. A moment later she was thanking her lucky stars he had left when he did because two more owls flew toward her and dropped small scrolls at her place, before winging off again. 

She decided she had had enough breakfast, and enough gifts. 

She grabbed up the packages and went to her room, not stopping or making eye contact with anyone. 

**************

There was no twinkling of eyes, or benign smiles. If someone didn't know better they would have thought that Professor Dumbledore was brooding. He was sitting very quietly behind his desk, thinking. 

He was never unaware of what was dong on in his school, but generally the Headmaster let things take their course, this, however, was getting to be a bit much. The whole school was in an uproar. He had had a decidedly enlightening discussion with a mischievous poltergeist this morning. And wasn't amused to hear that the general consensus was that if Draco was harmed in some way Hermione would suddenly become interested in him. Where did people get these ideas? These contrived matchmaking attempts were only going to get someone seriously hurt, or killed if Peeves had had his wish. 

It appeared that some helpful hands had already been at work. Clearly it was time he called a halt to all the games. It was time for Professor Dumbledore to put his two sickles worth into this. 

He popped a lemon drop into his mouth and savored the taste while he thought of what he was going to say to Hermoine. 

************

TBC

************

A/N Thanks a million all that review. You all are fantastic. :) 

Once again any spells are from the Harry Potter Lexicon, which ostensibly takes them from the books. I would not even try to be cool enough to create my own spells.


	12. Trying to Flee the Scene of the Crime

Disclaimer: In chapter 1

WARNINGS: Those of you that participated in my "Cliches Contest" thingie have read part of this chapter, as that was the 'prize.' Though it has changed quite a bit, some of it still will look familiar to you.

Chapter 12: Trying to Flee the Scene of the Crime

Professor Dumbledore stood at the head table in the great hall his face a stern mask. The students and staff alike were completely silent, all faces turned toward his. No one had seen him this stern since the great war. Not a soul dared move as he looked down on them.   
  
He said nothing for long moments simply looking at each individual until every person felt as if he had touched them in person with the seriousness of what he was going to say. Hermione sitting in her usual place was struck by the event as much as anyone. Her hands were tucked together in her lap and her eyes were scanning the crowd of students to try to figure out if anyone looked particularly guilty.   
  
"It has come to my attention," the professor started, "That it has come to all of YOUR attentions..."He paused.   
  
"That our Professor Malfoy and our visitor Professor Granger are mates. Due to recent events it would appear that I may have been somewhat remiss in my not mentioning that NO ONE is to assist them in any way. This is a private matter and will be treated as such." He turned and encompassed the audience again, even turning this time to the staff table.   
  
Hermione could feel her face getting warm at the public announcement. It wasn't as if anyone was in the dark about the connection between them, but she still hated to have it stated so baldly like this.  
  
Professor Dumbledore was usually so discreet.   
  
Hermione turned to look around the staff table and noticed that Draco was sitting with an inscrutable look on his face. He certainly didn't seem to be flustered as she was sure she was looking. As if feeling her eyes on him Draco turned to slowly to her and winked. She hurriedly looked away.   
  
Dumbledore seemed to have finished his speech, he sat down and resumed eating as if nothing had happened at all.  
  
Hermione wished she could be so blasé.

* * *

If Remus continued to smirk Ginny was going to have to take a stick to his head. During the Headmaster's speech he had turned to her and raised his eyebrow, in an "I told you so" way, that made her blood start to boil.   
  
She had been trying to make him regret his treatment of her that last few days, but he seemed to be completely oblivious to the fact and had been smugly gloating the entire time.   
  
Now with Dumbledore making it known that he wouldn't tolerate any interference, it appeared that Remus had swallowed the proverbial canary!  
  
With extreme annoyance Ginny turned back to her meal.

* * *

Anne Haroldson sat at the Gryffindor table her stomach cramping. Her nerves were so taut she thought she was going to be sick.

"Stupid Anne, Stupid!" She berated herself under her breath. All she had meant to do was make her idol, Professor Granger, stay at Hogwarts. The idea of Professor Granger married to Professor Malfoy and staying 'forever after' at the castle had consumed her for days. It was possibly the most romantic thing she had ever heard, not to mention very practical. Imagine the very important information she could ask, the things she could learn. All her books could be signed, perhaps Anne could help her write her next one. The ideas in her young mind were endless.

Those thoughts had pressed her to spend her entire quarter's pocket money on a box of Honeyduke's finest chocolates and had sent them with a note saying it had been from Professor Malfoy. She had known at the time that it was wrong of course, but she hadn't gotten much past the starry eyed worship of Hermione Granger.

Now here she was waiting to be called into the Headmaster's office perhaps to be expelled. She had known he was talking to her during his speech, after all hadn't he looked at her the entire time?

She couldn't finish her breakfast but sat quietly hands in her lap until her friends urged her to class.

* * *

Severus Snape, sat and sulked in a fashion much becoming to him. His dark brows beetled over his eyes, his mouth turned down in a petulant frown. Damned Albus, why did he always have to stick his nose in? Things had been going well enough. Not perfect of course, but as well as could be expected. Love appeared to be a much more complex problem than he had formerly assumed.

He slammed his cutlery about on his plate, no food making it to his mouth, in his temper. He hadn't even had a chance to try out his preeminent scheme. This was too unfair, now he was going to have to spend his time exclusively in his dungeons until this whole thing blew over.

* * *

Draco was striding through the halls confident that no one would dare displease the Headmaster. No more did he have to watch over his shoulder scared that some 'helpful' individual would be there. He couldn't be happier that Dumbledore had said what he had. Finally.  
  
He had caught sight of Hermione from his classroom window and was trying to catch her still in the gardens. Walking her to and from her destinations had become a delightful habit over the last few days.  
  
Since the night in the South Tower things couldn't have been better. He of course had thought it best not to mention the kiss again, even though it was difficult to keep his thoughts or hands to himself when he was with her. His Veela side had been harder to control the last while. He hadn't been sleeping well and had trouble concentrating on anything, but it was worth it to see his relationship with Hermione progress. Its seemed at though she almost accepted him as a friend. He would just keep biding his time, someday he would kiss her again. Hold her in every way possible and run his hands through her hair

Thinking about her sun kissed halo of hair made him hurry his steps.

Only Hermione would be sitting on the ground with her back against a tree this time of year. Although it wasn't too cold out it still wouldn't be considered picnic weather. Draco couldn't help but stop to watch her. Her knees were up and a book was balanced carefully upon them, one hand holding the page open the other copying something down on the parchment by her side.

Hermione was so intent on her study that she didn't even seem to notice when he flopped down on the ground beside her. Lying back with his arms cradling his head he contemplated the few puffy clouds that floated along. The sky was uncommonly blue and the crisp smell in the air combined with Hermione's own scent lulled Draco into a drowsy state. He felt content. He could feel the body warmth radiating off Hermione, so near him. It felt right. It felt...

"...Draco...up...'co..." Something broke into his trance like state. Hermione had her hand on his shoulder and was shaking him, his eyes snapped open.

"Aren't you freezing?" She put a tentative hand to his face. Her hand so warm she felt feverish to him, the familiar shiver of sensation followed her innocuous touch, and she removed her hand sharply when she felt it. Her eyes going very wide in her face.

"Sorry." She muttered.

Lying out on the cold ground had leached his body of heat and he was feeling stiff from the cold. Sitting up was a chore his body seemed to be frozen in place and didn't want to move again.

They both moved to sit against the tree and silence reigned for a moment between them.

"So what is the topic today?" Draco waved a hand at the book and parchment that were sitting next to her.

"Just the usual."

"Any luck?"

"Not really." She grimaced. It had become an ongoing question and answer between them the last week or so. He always asked if there had been any breakthrough in their case and she always answering in the negative.

Even though he knew the answer Draco's chest got tight each time he asked her, and then relief flooded through him each time she admitted defeat. He loved her, he couldn't pretend to be happy that she wanted to find a way to leave him. But he was willing to at least feign interest in the pursuit. Try to be supportive while secretly hoping someday soon she would learn to accept the truth.

He sighed a long sigh and his breath came out in a white fog of air. It was getting colder.

"Do you think we should go in?"

She wrinkled her nose at the thought, he had to agree, people were too interested in the goings on in their relationship. Sometimes being in the castle compounded the uncomfortable feelings between them. The pressure of what people expected forced itself between them making them both uncomfortable and careful of the watching eyes.

"A walk then?" Draco's limbs were becoming numb and he needed a little movement or they would fall off from the cold.

"Ok."

Draco got to his feet and held his hand down for her book and parchment before pulling Hermione up. Tucking her hand in the crook of his arm they set off along the deserted garden paths.

* * *

The headmaster watched the two walking in the gardens and felt a smile cover his lips. Aha, it seemed that something was building between the two besides animosity. It could be time to set his plan into action.

* * *

"Ah Hermione, come in. Sit." The headmaster motioned her forward.   
  
Hermione sat down across from Professor Dumbledore.   
  
"Lemon Drop?" Hermione was not fooled by the Headmaster's disarming techniques, you don't get called to his office unless its fairly serious.   
  
"No thank you."   
  
"Well Hermione, you and I haven't chatted in a while." He paused to twinkle at her.  
  
Once again she wasn't fooled.  
  
"So, how are things between you and Draco fairing?" Ahh, finally to the point.  
  
"Well enough." Hermione left it at that.  
  
Of course that was not going to be the answer that he wanted to hear.  
  
"Really?" He smiled and leaned back in his chair obviously expecting the full story, details included. Tthe only problem was that there really wasn't much of a story.

* * *

On a date with Draco Malfoy, how had this happened? Hermione wasn't sure what she was doing here. She was still in a bit of shock and she had been the one to ask him to come tonight. She had to try to give this thing a chance, although she wasn't quite sure why.

Maybe it was because Dumbledore had asked her, and because he had always been like a second father to her she had acquiesced. Or because she felt sorry for Draco. There was no denying that he was doing his best to keep his charms tamped down for her sake, but she still couldn't help feeling an attraction to him. Veelas did after all give off a ambient charm, even when they weren't trying. But that attraction alone was not enough for Hermione Granger to give into being Draco's mate. It all seemed so wrong somehow, she was a witch in her working prime. She was not about to let some insane thousands year old congenital blood disease ruin her life!

She wondered for not the first time this week if there were perhaps a cure for this Veela CURSE as there were for other types of diseases now. She was still not willing to accept that it was a hereditary condition and not a disease, because if she could convince herself that it was a disease then that meant there had to be a cure. Maybe with enough research or the right potions, she could just turn him back to his normal (for a Malfoy) self, or alternatively lobotomize him and call it even.

Draco leaned over to pour her another glass of wine and took a long whiff of her as he moved away. She hated when he did that. Hermione understood that scent to a Veela was the affirming sense. They needed the olfactory confirmation of the rightness of the match. But it made Hermione get the "BAD" chills, when he did it.

"You have to stop doing that!" Hermione said.

"Hmm?" Draco questioned.

Her remark had drawn him out of the middle of a story he was telling, and his hands stilled on the knife that he had been using to cut his meat into tiny bite sized pieces that never actually made it off the plate to his mouth.

From the way he looked at her with his little boy excited face, she could see that he had no idea he had done anything creepy or untoward, he looked as though he was having a marvelous time.

No, no, no, no, no, she couldn't do this, this wasn't right!...she groaned inwardly.

"This will never work, Malfoy!" She placed her napkin on the table, and readied herself to leave.

* * *

Never work... Draco heard her say. What wasn't working about this? They were talking. He was regaling her with humorous stories of the classroom. Well at least he hoped they were humorous. Hell, she had laughed hadn't she? Yes! Ok, so he was being charming and if he dared say it witty to boot. How was this NOT working?

"What you don't like the food?" Concern written all over his features.

Hermione sighed and shook her head.

"Don't you see Draco, this can't work." Her face was sincere but these were not words to which the instincts inside of Draco were willing to listen.

"Why?" Draco heard the word whispered in a broken voice and it took him a full ten seconds to realize that he had been the one to say it.

"Draco, I just can't be your mate. I can't! We are too different. Its wrong, we are wrong! It can NEVER happen!" Hermione stood up and faced him from across the small table.

Draco could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand on end as the Veela attractions (he had been tamping down) roared to life. All week long he had been so careful, considerate of her feelings. Asking her if she had had any luck in her studies, when all he really wanted to do was haul her to his rooms. He had taken double portions of the drugs Ginny gave him all so he could let her come to her own decision about things and not overwhelm her with his Veela attractions, the same instincts which had been battering him emotionally ragged since that kiss outside her room.

When she had asked him out to dinner he had felt he was making some progress. Now she was saying it wouldn't work. After weeks of wooing her in his own fashion he had failed. His despair at her words loosened his shielding.

He could feel his carefully constructed protection fall. It was so swift that he was unable to control it at all and those instincts crashed over him in a rush, lighting his skin to a luminescent beauty, he knew his eyes were taking on a silver 'otherworldly' sheen, but that was a momentary thought. He heard Hermione gasp as she felt the full power of the Veela allure pour over her as well. Her eyes grew large and became glazed with her desire for him. She parted her lips and sighed. Her look was making him promises of what would come. He chuckled.

Part of him was crying NO, STOP! This is not the way!...But that was a very small part, and far back in his mind. The larger part of him, the 'in control' part was crowing triumphantly because of the obvious desire written on her features. This was how his mate should be looking at him, every single day of their lives. This is how he should be looking at her. Not work? He smiled toward her, a slightly evil grin, if truth be told. He would show her what would work and what wouldn't.

He took her hand and nuzzled it to his face. A shiver went through them both at the contact. He continued to touch her hand, pressing his open lips against the palm. Then curling her fingers against his mouth, he licked the skin on her knuckles that tasted just as soft as it had looked when he had first noticed in it the carriage weeks ago. Hermione trembled and her knees buckled. She fell onto her chair, her head tilting back against the seat. Her eyes half closed, and a slight moan issued from her throat. Draco did laugh then, a full-throated laugh of conquest. The sound was primal and had nothing to do with the normally controlled Professor Maloy.

There were very few diners at the restaurant, but even so his Veela glamour was drawing the crowd. Draco growled low in his throat, this wasn't for them. Draco was so far from in control of that wild side of himself that instinct won over thought. He glared around at the bemused people who circled their table, but even the glare of a Veela in full glory did nothing to stop them from drawing nearer. It seemed to incite them to greater boldness.

The unwanted attention Draco was getting was rousing the jealousy in him, in his state it seemed that they were attracted to Hermione, and not himself. Some of them were even looking at her. She was HIS!

He stood, never letting go of Hermione. No one could be trusted, it was clear they all wanted his mate! Draco would have none of it. He moved to hide her from view and snarled at them. His face twisted, but never the less inspiring of great lust.

"Stay away! She is MINE!" The word mine was said with such primal force that a couple of the stronger willed patrons came out of their enchantment and started screaming leaving the restaurant.

* * *

The cook, an elderly Culinary Wizard, named Clovin came out of his kitchen to see his dining room, waiters and all focused on a glowing blond Godlike creature. Being a man of the world, and having attended a certain Quidditch Cup finals, knew exactly what he was seeing. This man, wait a minute, this was Professor Malfoy from Hogwarts. Professor Malfoy was a Veela? Obviously not full-blooded or he would have shape changed by now, but enough blood to transform him into this shining creature.

So strong was Draco projecting, that even as an old man, Clovin felt his heart race and he had to take a few calming breaths to get himself back to normal. The Professor seemed to have no control at all. What had brought him to that state, but more importantly....What to do now?

Clovin walked slowly toward the group of people circling the professor. At closer contact it was harder to keep himself from having thoughts he shouldn't. The snarling, spitting creature was the most lovely thing he had ever seen in his life. He shook his head, that was the Veela allure talking.

He moved through the group, trying to see who the professor was hiding. It was clear that Draco was protecting someone from the other diners who he must consider a threat. There had to be a way to diffuse the situation. But what?

* * *

All of Hermione's thoughts and feelings were centered upon the touch of perfect flesh pressed to her fingers. The hand of her Mate, became the focus of all her interest. The play of bone and tendon under pale luminescent skin seemed to her the most interesting thing she had ever seen. She pulled their entwined hands to her mouth and licked the back of his hand, a shiver of Veela magic rolled over her and she closed her eyes for a moment savoring it. The tingle that followed filled her and crackled between them.

Moving her mouth to the pulse point at his wrist she bit lightly feeling the throb of blood under the surface, she wanted to bite down and taste the tang of magic she was sure was just under his skin, her skin, their skin, skin and blood. Her teeth nipped sharply, lips hurrying to sooth the hurt. A shudder ran through his back at her touch and she laughed a low throaty sound. Why didn't he turn to her, why didn't he make her his? Her mind was a jumble of long suppressed emotions.

Why were they still here?

She was tired of being here, she was tired of sitting, she needed to be closer to him. Standing up she pressed herself to his back and breathed in the magic dancing along his skin. Lifting her free hand she smoothed it over him. The silk of his robes flowed under her fingers making them itch to touch the skin underneath. Pulling on his shoulder she managed to partially turn him to face her. She looked at the group crowded around them and frowned, before turning her eyes to Draco's.

His countenance was shocking. Eyes and skin glowing with the power of his Veela blood rushing through him, controlling him. So lovely, so lovely was all she could think. She brought their still joined hand to his chest and put her free arm around his neck. Nuzzling him behind his ear, and laughing again as his growl filled the room.

Turning her face up to his shining one she closed her eyes and sighed. That was all the invitation that Draco needed. His lips dropped to hers, there was no gentleness or finesse just fierceness. Magics fighting for control and possession.

* * *

Clovin wasn't sure but it looked as if the couple would consummate the bond here and now if he didn't do something. The Professor's little mate in her sensible robes and frizzy hair didn't look like that type that would take it well afterward to be caught in such a compromising position. He imagined her distress when she came back to herself. There had to be something he could do. He had to act before it was too late.

* * *

Hermione's skin was on fire, it was hot too hot. Draco seemed to know just what she needed and his fingers were at the throat of her robes carefully releasing the buttons. Pushing the material off her neck he smoothed long pale fingers over her shoulder blades, tracing the blue of her veins, visible under the skin.

Their hands, still entwined pressing to his chest, had become their point of contact more intimate than their lips on each other. The flooding Veela instincts moving freely between them through the bond of that grasp.

Everything was a heady fire, and then everything was _on_ fire. Pain roared through the sensitive connection. Draco's hissed in anguish and pushed Hermione away from himself, their hands, their point of contact, the connection between them was wrenched abruptly apart.

Hermione staggered and fell to the ground. Hitting her head against the wall in the process, the pain flooded her senses and she suddenly understood what was happening.

She looked up to see Draco being held at bay by an old man with a candelabra. Like an animal Draco was being driven slowly toward the corner of the room, eyes wary, growling in fury.

She needed to go to him, help him. NO! But he needed her. He wanted her to come to him. His skin was calling to her. His eyes pleaded with her. No! NO! She shook her head and got shakily to her feet, allowing the wall to help her stay upright. She couldn't think of what to do. Her body was crying out for her to go to him, but some small part of her kept her just where she was, watching.

She was jolted to awareness with the old man turning to her and yelling. It took her a few moments to understand what he was saying.

"Get your Headmaster! Go girl!"

It was as if her consciousness had struggled up from deep water and just broke surface, she could move and think again on her own. She could still feel Draco's pain and anger, but she could feel herself again too. With one last look at the old man holding Draco off she turned and fled from the restaurant apparating to just outside the school grounds. She could still hearing Draco's frantic screaming of her name as she ran toward the castle. She didn't even realize that the tears were streaming down her white shocked face.

* * *

Both Snape and Dumbledore rushed to the restaurant not knowing exactly what they would find. Both men had been more than a little concerned when Hermione had rushed into the great hall. If Draco had finally lost control of his Veela Instincts there could very well be serious repercussions. Neither man wanted to think about how serious those repercussions could be!

Even their wildest imaginings couldn't have prepared them for the sight that met their eyes as they entered the dining room of the fancy Wizard establishment. Professor Draco Malfoy was crouched into a corner, his face a picture of beautiful fury. He was snarling at the crowd that circled him, but instead of driving them away, his Veela charms were so overpowering that they circled ever closer. It looked like sharks circling their prey, but the prey was not some wounded seal but a demon beyond their imaginings. Once in a while a wizard would become brave and try to breach Draco's defenses and he would strike out at them, leaving them with scratched faces or black eyes. Still this aggressive display did nothing to drive the rest away. It was a good thing that no one had thought to draw his or her wands or it could have been mayhem.

There was an old man lying on the floor a few feet from the group, there was blood on his face it looked as if he had been clawed by a wild animal. The headmaster nodded at Severus, who went over and felt for a pulse point. He nodded and they both relaxed a bit. Draco hadn't killed anyone yet this night and if they acted quickly enough they might still be able to protect him from himself.

Dumbledore and Snape protected by the potion that everyone in the school had been taking, removed their wands from their pockets and placed the group at large in a binding spell. They then waded in to try to see if Draco would be able to return back to the school of his own free will.

Now that the group around Draco had stopped crowding closer he seemed to relax a bit, but his eyes were still shifting nervously about and there was a thin line of spittle dripping down his chin. Dumbledore carefully went towards his former student and now professor all the while talking to him in a soothing voice. It seemed that Draco Malfoy had packed up his threads of sanity and left the building, leaving the wild Veela side in control. Wherever Draco Malfoy had gone, it wasn't going to be easy to get him back. Professor Dumbledore sighed loudly and looked around the room, Severus had been releasing people from the binding spells and leading them one by one to tables talking to them assuring them it would be fine and then binding them again. So far no patron had resisted. Dumbledore didn't know if this was luck or the dark looks that Severus was capable of giving. Whatever the cause he wasn't going to question it.

They needed to get Draco out of here and to the infirmary as soon as possible. Professor Dumbledore felt himself getting angry, this should not have happened. Things had seemed to be going well with Hermione and Draco, perhaps not a passionate romantic bond, but something had been developing between the two of them. And now this.

* * *

There was pounding on Hermione's door and then it flew open, hitting the wall with such force that she jumped. Professor Snape came into the room his face a dark cloud.   
  
"Just what do you think you are doing?" His voice was silky with anger.  
  
"I am leaving Professor, as you can see." Hermione snapped.   
  
"I can see very well that you are wasting your time packing, as you aren't leaving the school." He crossed his arms over his chest, and glared.  
  
Her heart beat so hard that she could hear it sounding in her ears. She turned slowly, tense anger visible in her body.   
  
"I am sorry Professor, but I am leaving."   
  
"No, Miss Granger you are not."   
  
"I am so!"   
  
He raised his eyebrow at her and she realized how childish she sounded. After the events of the evening she couldn't really care. Being more scared than she could ever remember being in her life, leaving seemed like the wise choice. The only choice.   
  
She turned around and continued packing her case.

* * *

Severus Snape watched Hermione with indifference. She was going no where. There was no question in his mind, none at all. With Draco in his present condition there wasn't a chance that she would be leaving for a very long time if at all.

If she wanted to throw her little childish fit and pack that was up to her, it mattered not a bit in the long run.   
  
He shooed her cat out of the one chair in the room and sat down.   
  
There was no sound in the room but that of Hermione's frantic packing. It appeared the chit had to work something out of her system. He grudgingly admitted that seeing Draco that evening had made him more than a bit uneasy as well, so he would give her time. He had no pressing engagements. He could wait.

Severus crossed one leg over the other and casually studied the nails on his left hand.

* * *

What was he still doing here? This was HER room! The nerve of the man. Hermione shoved some more of her clothing haphazardly into her trunk.   
  
Turning to glare in his direction didn't do a bit of good, apparently he was just going to make himself at home.   
  
Hermione started minimizing some of the more bulky items before putting them in her trunk. She was leaving. This was all too much.   
  
A few more minutes of silence and Professor Snape was starting to annoy her with his sitting. And his breathing. And the fact that he didn't argue with her, not that there was anything that she wanted to hear, or say. It didn't do her any good to admit that what she was wanting was a big thunderous row, and since the object of her fear and anger wasn't there, anyone would do. In reality she wasn't mad at Draco as much as scared to death. Leaving was obviously still the best option. 

Crookshanks crawled up into the trunk amidst all of her folded clothing and started cleaning his whiskers. Hermione tried to wave him away but he merely licked one paw and dragged it across his forehead completely ignoring her. He needed to move so she could finish. She put one hand toward him and he hissed and batted her away.

A chuckle came from the direction of Professor Snape, but when Hermione turned to glare he had his usual dour expression and wasn't even looking in her direction.

She could feel a lump rise in her throat, and tried to swallow it down. She was not going to cry. She was logical and logical people don't cry. When encountering a problem they find answers. But there were no answers to this. There weren't even really any questions, she WAS Draco Malfoy's mate, and there was nothing she could do.

Draco Malfoy's mate...Draco Malfoy's...the thought hit her suddenly and quite clearly. It hit her more solidly than anything had ever before. She was Draco's mate. Draco's...now all her hours of denial and studying seemed completely ridiculous to her. How pointless and hopeless those searches had been. She started out laughing, but then the dam broke and tears streamed down her face and she was crying. Sobbing so hard that her breaths were coming in gasps, but worse yet she couldn't seem to stop.

* * *

Despite what one might think of Severus Snape he was not unfamiliar with crying females. Perhaps not in the context that most men were familiar with crying females but never the less he had encountered more than his fair share. Well been the cause is much more accurate a term.

He had been instrumental in innumerable student's mental breakdowns. Yet when Hermione started sobbing he felt uncomfortable. Ill at ease. Not helpless of course, Severus Snape was never helpless, but he felt out of control. That was something he didn't like. He didn't like it at all.

He sat quietly for a minute or two hoping that she would wind down on her own, but the sniveling, if anything, was intensifying. Even her cat was put off by her behavior if its slicked back ears and twitching tail were any indication.

He pushed his way to his feet and moved to stand at her shoulder. If there was anything that he had learned it was that invading someone's personal space was a wonderful form of intimidation, a tactic that had worked in the past when he wanted to alter a person's behavior. He hoped that his closeness might shock her enough to make her forget her petty little whinge fest and come to her senses.

What he hadn't expected was for Hermione to reach out with both hands and clutch his robes, pulling herself up from the bed and into his chest there to continue her caterwauling. No he hadn't really been expecting that all. A sneer covered his features and he closed his eyes to steady himself for a moment.

Severus had never been a compassionate person and Hermione draping across him like a limpet sobbing her eyes out hadn't exactly changed his feelings on things. He stood with his hands at his side, only with the greatest of efforts to not throw her off and demand she stop her ridiculous howling that instant. As it was it took only moments before his robe front was soaked through to the skin. Now he was not only emotionally uncomfortable he was simply uncomfortable (period.)

This had to stop, but using his powers of deduction he didn't think that yelling was going to quite work this time, nor PROBABLY his being extremely snarky. More's the pity really. He supposed he would have to dredge up some sort of human feeling, from somewhere, and try to console her.

He put one tentative hand on her heaving shoulders and awkwardly patted her, the other he placed on the back of her head, barely resisting the urge to force her face to his shoulder to **smother** her into stopping her crying if nothing else!

"There, there." He said, which really was the limit of his experience in these sort of matters, having only seen it, never participated himself in the calming of a person.

It seemed to help a bit, Hermione sniffed, (a decidedly juicy sound, which he had no doubts meant hell for his coat) and her crying took on a bit of a softer sound.

"There, there." He said again, thinking he might really be getting the hang of this sort of thing.

"It will all be alright...probably." He said, trying out something of his own. That one seemed to work better, Hermione sniffed again and removed one of her hands from its clutch on his robe front to wipe at her wet eyes.

* * *

Ginny ran down the corridors to Hermione's room. Students who were supposed to be in their dorms cowered against the walls with no time to hide or flee, but she wasn't interested in taking points or handing out detentions. She had other more important things on her mind.

The door to Hermione's room stood open and a sight unlike any she had ever seen before met her eyes.

Severus Snape was doing something decidedly human? She had to blink hard and shake her head. Yes it was still Severus, and he was holding a crying Hermione to his chest and patting her back. Oh how she wished she had a camera to capture this illusive "never before seen in captivity" behavior!

Not time to think about that now!

"Hermione! We need you!"

* * *

A/N Thanks for all the reviews! :) I appreciate, as usual, the interest in the story. Your kind words, threats, cajoling are always welcome and I love hearing your ideas on things. Once again any glaring mistakes let me know.

M, here it is. Finally.

Arbitrary, I have read your new chapter, but life is conspiring against me with regards to posting a detailed (LONG) review of your sotry...but never fear, it will come along, POOR YOU. (Does it scream hypocrite for me to wonder when the new chapter will be out? Na...probably not.) ;)


	13. The First Step is Admitting You Have a P...

Disclaimer in Chapter One

Chapter 13: The First Step is Admitting You Have a Problem

Remus and Poppy were pacing awaiting Ginny's return, they hoped with Hermione in tow. Their eyes were drawn again and again to the pale form lying on the hospital bed. The form that looked so different from Draco Malfoy as to be someone completely alien and strange. He keened a high moaning cry that made their hair stand on end along their bodies. His shining pale limbs fought against the restraints that held him as immobile as they could, until the calming draughts could take root in his mind.

Remus looked at the clock. It had only been a few minutes since Ginny had left, but Draco seemed to have become much worse in that short amount of time, it made him fear for Draco.

Hurry Ginny, hurry! Remus said again and again in his mind like a mantra. They all knew enough about the Veela inheritance to know that Draco's mate would be the only one, if anyone, who would be able to draw him from his insanity back to his former self. All of Draco's protections had been stripped away to the point that there may not be any way to get him back at all. Even Hermione's constant presence and touch may not work at this point. They had to try.

* * *

Ginny's voice broke into Hermione's misery and she realized with a start she had been weeping into Severus Snape's waist coat! Her eyes got very large as she looked at his face. What she saw there wasn't at all comforting, he had his usual sneer carefully in place. Removing her clutched fists from his robes, she moved back. It was then that she noticed there was a large wet spot on his chest. She leaned in as if to try to rub it away but he moved before she could touch him again.

"Sorry." She mumbled.

"Honestly we don't have time for you to be sorry right now. Come with me." Ginny came forward and grabbed Hermione's arm in a forceful grip.

Hermione had never seen Ginny this urgent about anything, but it didn't make her want to give in. She was still panic stricken.

Almost without thinking she tried to pull away from her friend.

She had only just come to grips with the futility of her trying to find a loophole out of this whole thing. If she saw Draco again, so soon, she might forget that and bolt. She had been at the restaurant. Ginny didn't understand, couldn't understand what Hermione had almost done. In public! She couldn't see him again until she could be assured of her own control. Of course she wasn't sure when that would be, but it definitely wasn't this soon.

"Oh no you don't! Its about time you did something helpful for once." Ginny did a good imitation of Professor Snape and glared at Hermione, never once letting Hermione get her arm free.

Hermione felt irritation come over her at Ginny's obvious disappointment in her. As if she was letting all of them down? Why should it matter? Why should she care? This was her life? Right? She could do what she wanted! No, she couldn't, that fact had already been established in more ways than she could have hoped to understand. She felt the irritation give way to guilt, and meekly gave into Ginny's demanding pulling. Eyes downcast she followed the other girl down toward the infirmary.

* * *

There were too many students loitering around the halls after curfew for Severus Snape's well being. So instead of joining Hermione and Ginny he decided to do rounds and pass out much needed detentions. Just because the professors were in an uproar tonight was no excuse for rules breaking. Snape would rise to the occasion, once again, and teach them a much needed lesson.

His black clad figure stalking the halls put a stop to the tittle tattle and wondering little tongues spreading gossip, on subjects about which they hadn't the slightest knowledge.

He frowned, perhaps if the Headmaster hadn't prohibited any interference they might not be in this situation now. But as usual Severus would hold his tongue, and do what was required of him.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore was at that very moment walking toward Hogwarts, after having spent the better part of two hours calming and altering a few memories of the patrons of the restaurant. It might be surprising to note that all of the patrons had indeed wanted their memories altered, for their own good of course, when given the option.

The less stigma that followed Draco, and the school, the better, and Dumbledore was not adverse to a bit of persuasion if the need arose. He might be the paean of the Wizarding Light, but that didn't change the fact that he could be quite forceful a personality.

He had cleaned up one mess this evening, but if they couldn't bring Draco back there was no way to avert a much bigger problem. Draco Malfoy was still the Malfoy heir, but an INSANE Draco Malfoy that was an heir of a different colour (no pun intended...well, maybe a bit.) Even a wizard of Dumbledore's status and ability had no desire to inform either of the Sr. Malfoys that their child's mind had gone the way of the Dodo, no that was not a conversation that he wanted to have. Not in his lifetime. It would be hard enough to tell them of tonight, Merlin help him if the results were permanent.

* * *

Hermione followed Ginny, her mind numb, her feet simply moving. The fear inside her was still the primary emotion, she still didn't want to see Draco. Didn't want to have those emotions recalled to her. Didn't want that feeling of uncontrollable lust to flow over her again. That was what scared her the most, that feeling of wanting Draco above anything else, despite EVERYTHING else.

The large double doors of the Hospital wing loomed closer and Hermione could sense the Veela barred behind that wooden barrier. She wanted to bolt, but Ginny wasn't giving her that option.

The doors opened at their arrival, as if of their own accord.

Remus stood there sweat beading on his brow.

"Thank Merlin you've come." He took Hermione's free arm and they hurried her forward.

The sight that met her eyes stopped her feet from moving causing Ginny and Remus to come to a halt for a moments as well, before simply dragging her protesting form closer to creature that used to be Draco.

Closing her eyes didn't help, tattooed onto her mind forever would be this drooling, thrashing mad beautiful creature. This creature with such pale and silvered hair. This creature with luminescent skin and feverish rantings that called out to her. A creature who cried for her touch, demanded she give everything she was. There were whispered seductive promises of blood and sex. Two things that suddenly seemed to have infinite appeal within her bewildered mind.

She shook her arms from the bands that held her back from her Mate. Stumbling forward on shaking legs, Hermione could feel the Veela instincts grip her and throw her back, before wrapping her up and moving her forward again. There was no conscious thoughts in Hermione now, she went to Draco because there was nothing else in the room. Nothing that mattered. She got to the bed where Draco lie restrained and fighting. She put a finger to his lips and laughed slightly when he whimpered into her flesh. His eyes opened at the sound, the depth drawing her into his pain befuddled mind, becoming one with him.

* * *

"Release him!" Hermione's voice cut through the room causing the hair to stand up on Ginny's neck.

"Hermione, it's not safe..." Ginny trailed off when Hermione turned and gave her a look that promised something Ginny didn't want to know if she didn't do as instructed. With a quick look at Remus, who was standing with his eyes closed and his arms over his chest, she decided she may as well remove the restraints. If Hermione couldn't control him right now what was the point of this whole thing anyway?

"Release him. Release him" Hermione was caressing Draco's face with soft fingers. Her face bent to his. "Release him." She whispered again.

Ginny went only as close as she had to and muttered a quick spell to negate the power of the magical restraints they had placed on Draco. The hair on her arms stood on end and she moved back to stand with Remus and Poppy.

Hermione sat on the bed and placed her arms around Draco's shoulders shifting his torso into her lap, wiping his face with the hem of her robes she turned once again.

"Now out." She hissed the words, her face a fierce mask.

"Hermione..." Ginny tried, but felt her arm taken by Remus.

He led her out of the room and let Poppy close the door after them.

"Do you think that was wise?" Ginny motioned toward the door.

"Ginny do you think we really have a choice?" Remus was rubbing his arms. "Can you feel that? In there?" His eyes closed, and when he opened them again it was a look that Ginny hadn't seen in a long time. His beast had been touched by the Veela instincts.

"Remus...Remus!" She shook him and he leaned toward her, his face twisted in pain.

"Poppy! Get his potion!" The beast was being forced out of him by something other than the full moon. Ginny was in shock! This had never happened before.

Poppy looked at the closed door to the infirmary, and then to Ginny. Without saying a word she ran down the corridor, ostensibly toward the dungeons. Severus always made extra wolfsbane, for emergencies. Not that they had had one up until now.

Ginny was stroking Remus' back and whispering soothing words to him, he arched and cried trying to fight the transformation. What was left of his human mind could tell that it wasn't right. This change was not the natural change, to have a primal force pull his beast from him wasn't something that anyone knew could happen. He couldn't change now, it wasn't safe, no precautions had been taken. He growled lightly and shook his head. Ginny held him more firmly to her chest.

He had started to snuffle at her neck, and grip her shoulders to the point of pain. Ginny forced her lips together, trying not to whimper or act like prey. She couldn't show her fear. Hurry Poppy! Hurry!

* * *

Hermione watched the door close and turned back to Draco. He was looking up at her with glazed over eyes and stopped struggling in her arms. A small smile slid across his face and his eyelids dropped closed. The moment the calming draught lulled him to sleep Hermione could feel the compulsion to touch him, also fade to a level where she could once again think. It was still there beating warmly at the back of her mind, but at least she could think of something besides her need.

A deep shaky breath escaped her lips, and her first thought was to RUN! Run and not look back. She moved him off her lap and got off the bed. Her legs still felt shaky. The moment she removed her touch from Draco he started moaning and shifting about on the bed. Even the strong potion running through his system wasn't enough to quiet him.

His thrashing became more violent and she put her hand to his shoulder to prevent him from falling off the bed, and he sighed and relaxed at her touch. Snatching her hand back as if bitten, Hermione watched Draco become frantic again. Ok, so she had to touch him apparently. Fine. She pulled a chair over to the bed and sat down. Her hand touching his cold fingers, cradling them between her palms.

* * *

Albus had been attuned to the wards of the school long enough to know when something wasn't right. He had started running toward the castle without even thinking about it, his flamboyant robes held up past his old knobby knees. It should have looked ridiculous, but one look at his face removed any humour from the situation.

He fairly flew into the main hall not stopping but rushing up the flights of stairs toward the infirmary, the lump in his stomach keeping him moving far past the time when his burning lungs were crying for him to stop and take a break.

The corridor turned and he could see Poppy and Severus running in the same direction, ahead of him. Yes he had been right. Something very bad was happening. Severus didn't run, and he WAS running.

A flash from a wand lit the dark hallway and a howl could be heard, he ran faster than he had thought possible at his age.

"Immobulus!" He yelled as soon as he got close enough. Remus had changed and was leaning down over a fallen Professor Snape, tongue lolling from his open jaw. Sharp teeth were mere inches from the potion master's neck. The werewolf blinked and growled low in his throat but was not strong enough to throw off the Headmaster's spell.

After making sure that Remus couldn't move, Dumbledore pulled Severus out from between the werewolf's front legs and to safety. Severus moaned a bit and cursed, clutching his head. Ah, yes he would be ok.

The Headmaster patted his cranky potion's master and looked over to find Poppy kneeling next to someone on the floor. He could see red hair, it was Ginny.

He moved swiftly to them. Poppy was moving her wand and muttering spells under her breath.

"How is she?" He put his hand on her shoulder.

"She will be fine, I just need to get her to..." Her voice dropped off and she looked at the closed infirmary doors.

Albus didn't know why that was such a problem.

"Hermione and Draco are in there." Poppy stated as if that was all that needed to be said.  
  
A thought struck the Headmaster and he looked to where Remus was now lying panting on the floor with Severus leaning over him. He looked out the window and back to Remus.  
  
"What happened here?" His face was filled with confusion.  
  
"His beast was called from him by Draco." Poppy said and turned back to the unconscious Ginny.   
  
"Veela instincts could call out a Werewolf's beast?" In all his long years Dumbledore had never heard anything like that.  
  
"Apparently." Came Severus's dry response.  
  
Dumbledore looked at his potion's master who was cradling his head.  
  
This evening could have been catastrophic. He hadn't realized that Draco's breakdown would have such far reaching consequences. Ginny looked pale, Severus was cradling his head, and Remus was lying on the floor in his changed form whimpering.

"Severus and I will go and see to moving Draco, we will be back."   
  
Severus and the Headmaster entered the infirmary with wands raised and ready.   
  
Hermione was facing them her eyes large.   
  
"Professor what is happening? I heard noise...couldn't leave." She took her hand from Draco who immediately started thrashing in his bed.   
  
Dumbledore and Severus approached the bed when they noticed that Hermione appeared to have calmed down from how Poppy had described her.   
  
"If you had just accepted your fate, none of this would have happened." Severus growled at Hermione, before Dumbledore could say a word.   
  
"Now, now dear boy. We can't blame Miss Granger." Dumbledore patted Severus on the shoulder, not quite believing it himself.   
  
His placating gesture didn't appear to work, the potion's master glared all the harder at Hermione, rubbing his sore head absentmindedly.   
  
"Remus changed without the full moon and we need to bring Ginny in here. Severus and I are going to shift you and Draco to one of the private rooms so Poppy can deal with the others."  
  
"Ginny?" Hermione looked stricken.  
  
Dumbledore patted Hermione this time and the gesture didn't seem to help any more than it had with Severus, perhaps he was losing his touch.   
  
"Let's get you shifted and then we can bring Ginny and Remus in here so Poppy can look after them. She should take a look at your head too my friend." The headmaster turned to Severus.   
  
Severus didn't answer, but Dumbledore hadn't really expected an answer, because in his mind it hadn't been a question.

* * *

Severus and the Headmaster levitated Draco toward the back of the infirmary and the private rooms that were behind Poppy's and Ginny's office. Hermione clutched at his hand to keep him calm.  
  
They settled him in the room and Professor Dumbledore transfigured an uncomfortable wooden chair into a fluffy fabric covered grandma chair, doilies on the arms included.   
  
"Go get your head checked Severus." Dumbledore waved the sour man out of the room and pulled up a chair next to Hermione.  
  
"How is he faring?"   
  
Hermione looked at Draco, his head was moving sluggishly on his pillow back and forth. Even with the drugs in his system, and being touched by his mate, he was still visibly distressed.   
  
"Well we certainly have had a bit of excitement this evening..." Dumbledore started.  
  
"I don't think that any of us were aware Draco's Veela instincts had the power to call out Remus' beast. Its very disconcerting to find out new things at my age." He twinkled at Hermione, trying to lighten the mood.  
  
"Are they alright?" She whispered.  
  
"They will be fine Hermione, I am more worried about Draco. I am certain you are aware that neither of you can go as you have been. I am afraid we don't have the luxury of time anymore. You are Draco's mate. Hermione, the sooner you accept that fact the better. For all of us." He patted her on the shoulder and left the room before she could say anything else.  
  
Hermione's heart fell in her chest. No matter how nice the headmaster had been she could hear the censure in his voice.  
  
It wasn't as if she had been denying things for any evil purposes, she just wasn't in love. She looked at Draco, he was attractive there was no denying that. But that didn't equal love, nor did the power that raced through them when they touched. It might sound sappy but Hermione needed more.   
  
She sighed and leaned back in her chair, her fingers still entwined with Draco.

* * *

Ginny came back to consciousness slowly, her eyes clearing. Her head ached and she hurt in places she didn't know she had. Groaning she turned her head, and it struck her that she was in the infirmary. Remus was lying in the bed next to her's, his face a pale mask. His breathing so light she couldn't hear him even from this close, if he was breathing at all. Panic hit her. What if he wasn't breathing?   
  
She eased herself into a sitting position and her head felt as if it was going to fall from her shoulders. She put her hand to it and felt a large lump on her temple. It was tender to the touch and was causing a throbbing in time to her heart beat.   
  
Not daring to get up with her head about to fall off, she carefully leaned over the side toward Remus to see if she could detect any movement at all from him. A wave of dizziness flowed over her and she clutched the mattress before she could slide off.   
  
"Ginny Lupin! Get back in that bed." Poppy's stern voice cut through her like a knife.   
  
Groaning she sank back into her bed and closed her eyes. She meant to open them again and tell Poppy she was well enough to get up, but her eyelids refused to open so she gave in and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Hermione woke abruptly when her head fell to the side again. It was still dark outside the sliver of moon the only light in the room. It fell on the bed highlighting Draco's still form. He was resting more or less peacefully, every now and again he muttered something, but Hermione's rubbing the pulse point on his wrist with her thumb seemed to help settle him.   
  
It was clear that she had to stay with him at least until he woke from the draught that Poppy had given him earlier. She hadn't seen the mediwitch since she had first entered the hospital wing, she could only hope that Ginny, Remus and Severus were going to be alright.   
  
She settled her head against the back of the chair and tried to get comfortable. Her neck protested the movement. Sleeping in a chair wasn't ever comfortable, regardless of how fluffy Dumbledore had made the cushions when he had transfigured it.   
  
She removed one hand from Draco's and covered his hand with her other one before he could protest. Holding her arm in that outward stretched position was causing her fingers to go numb, so she shook her arm to get the feeling back and grimaced when the blood flooded the area with pins and needles.   
  
She rested her tingling hand in her lap and attempted to relax back into sleep.   
  
Hermione wasn't sure how long had actually passed before the forearm of her extended arm started to twitch. She switched arms and leaned back again.   
  
A strange ticking noise started in the room and Hermione couldn't identify it. Strange noises you can't identify make it impossible to sleep until you CAN identify them, and so she strained her eyes into every corner of the room to see if she could figure out just what she was hearing. She peered and listened for what seemed hours until noticing there was an owl at the window.   
  
Disentangling herself from Draco's hand she sprinted across the room to open the window. A large owl flew to sit on the headboard of Draco's bed and looked down at him with one eye.   
  
Without Hermione touching him Draco had started to moan and twist. She ran back across the room and put her hand on his arm.   
  
"Lumos." A soft light filled the room.   
  
The owl cocked its head at her, watching as she rubbed her hands in a soothing motion over Draco.   
  
Once he had calmed a bit Hermione coaxed the owl onto the mattress so she could remove the rolled parchment from its leg. Trying to untie anything, from an owl's leg, one handed was not easy.   
  
Finally she got the paper free and unrolled it.  
  
_Hermione Granger,  
  
I have just gotten word from Headmaster Dumbledore about the events of the evening. I was horrified to learn that you have denied Draco as your mate. It is typical of a muggleborn wizard to not understand the importance of the Veela bond. The decision is not yours to make. Blood will call, and Veela must obey.   
  
If the Headmaster hadn't forbad me to enter school grounds you would be dealing with me in person, as it is, know that if my son suffers any more at your hands his won't be the **only** suffering.  
  
Narcissa  
  
PS Do not hesitate to contact me know if you need help with the wedding plans.   
_  
By the time Hermione finished reading the letter she was shaking. Her future mother in law indeed. The woman was almost as frightening as Lucius Malfoy.  
  
Hermione couldn't tell if the owl was waiting for a response, a treat, or simply watching her to make sure she was treating Draco the way Narcissa thought she should.   
  
She decided to ignore the owl and try to get back to sleep. If Narcissa wanted to spy that was up to her.  
  
"Nox." The light went out in the room a few minutes later the owl flew out the still open window.  
  
Hermione muttered a spell, waved her wand, and the window closed softly.   
  
No matter how hard Hermione tried there was no way to fall asleep, she was too uncomfortable. The angle that she had to hold her head and her arms weren't conducive to relaxing. She wriggled around in the chair for a few more minutes before giving up.  
  
The night seemed as if it would never end, it was the longest of Hermione's life. She could almost feel the minutes ticking by.

* * *

Severus sat in his chair watching the fire, drinking a pain dulling potion. Tonight had been uncomfortable on so many levels. Not the least of which was being thrown to the floor by a slavering werewolf. It brought back memories. Things he didn't want to remember.   
  
He filled his glass again and started to drink himself into a happy oblivion where old childhood humiliations wouldn't matter.

* * *

The sun cut directly through Hermione's eyelids to bore into her brain. She opened her eyes carefully. She was leaning forward in a chair with her cheek resting against a mattress.   
  
She tried to sit up but found her head pinned to the mattress by something tangled into her hair. She put her hand up and felt warm fingers. They were Draco's fingers. She remembered where she was.   
  
Well she had been able to get some sleep after all, it seemed. She worked on uncurling his fingers and pulled his hand from her. Sitting up and stretching felt very good after the night she had had. She made sure to keep one hand to Draco's. He seemed to be calmer this morning. Not muttering or twisting.   
  
She yawned and looked around the room.

* * *

Remus sat watching Ginny sleeping, a feeling flooded him that he hadn't felt in years. Guilt and hatred of who he was. He had harmed the person he loved most in the world. He stroked his hand through her hair and carefully touched the lump on her temple. Anger at himself curled around his stomach like a fist.   
  
Poppy had mentioned that Severus had been treated as well. His relationship was tenuous enough with the chilly potion's master without this too. This was too close to what had happened years ago, and he knew that Severus would also be remembering it. As soon as Ginny awoke he had better go try to make amends.   
  
Telling himself that neither incident had been his fault didn't seem to help matters a bit.

* * *

Dumbledore sat at the head table eating calmly as if half a dozen of his professors were not missing from the table.   
  
There were rumours abounding, the Great Hall fairly buzzed with tales of howling heard in the halls, professors missing, and finally Professor Snape running. The other stories would have been scary enough, but Professor Snape running had the students in an uproar. Something was going on and none of the staff was saying anything about it. So naturally they had come up with the craziest notions and none of them were even half as wild as the truth.  
  
If the Headmaster hadn't been so worried he might have found the whole thing humorous.

* * *

Two days, with very little sleep, sitting in a chair with no one but an unconscious Veela for company, was starting to make Hermione feel more than a bit off kilter. She vacillated between guilt and anger. She was one moment determined to leave and let things happen as they may, and the next believing that it was she alone who was responsible for the hurts that had been inflicted upon her friends. Narcissa's letter had been read time and again until her eyes were so tired the words blurred.

Poppy had come in and they had tried to revive Draco at one point, giving Hermione time to go to the toilet and shower. When she had come back he had been wild eyed and frothing at the mouth, no sane thoughts visible in him at all. That had ended her leaving of him but for the shortest of times, now making do with quick trips to the loo and hastily muttered cleaning charms on her frizzy hair and clothing.

While _his_ mind was soothed by her constant contact, Hermione was beginning to feel the stirrings of claustrophobia. A chant of "out, out, out" had begun in her mind, and there was little she could do to push it away. She couldn't even concentrate on the books that the head master had brought her. She was going slowly out of her mind, out of her mind like Draco...both of them together, together in their insanity. Together in a padded cell in St. Mungos, chained together for ever. Painting pretty pieces of pottery...she smiled at her alliteration.

Tears started in her eyes and she swiped them away when she heard the door opening.

Remus looked inside his usual smile on his lips. Taking one look at her face he offered her a bar of chocolate with the promise of it 'helping.' His offer made her smile, his belief in the curative powers of the candy passed all recorded clinical benefits. Still Hermione did take it and it did seem to help, a bit.

They talked quietly for a few minutes until during a funny story about the recent Quidditch game Hermione interrupted him.

"I don't know what to do Remus. I am scared. I feel like I'm going crazy! I can't stay here anymore. I don't think I'm helping. I am only making things worse. I need to get out of this room." Frustrated tears flowed from her eyes again.

"Hermione, you don't have a choice you have to stay." Sympathy coloured his words.

"Why Remus? Why? I can't fix anything. I can't love him...he...I..." She motioned at Draco then trailed off helplessly.

"Hermione give it time, he will get better. Things will work out, you will see!"

"What if they don't though? What if he stays like this? What if I am trapped here forever!" Her voice started escalating. Her emotions rising causing Draco to start moaning on the bed.

"Its ok Hermione. You have to trust that things will get better." He tried again.

"Trust?" She spat the word at him.

"Things will get better." His voice was firm now.

"Its just that I'm just so tired..." Her eyes flooded with tears.

"Well there is something I can do about that." Hermione heard him mutter before everything went dark.

* * *

TBC

Happy 4th July to the Americans here and Happy Canada Day on the 1st....yes missed it a bit. Hope the holidays are/were great for everyone.

I want to honestly thank all the people who take time to give me encouragement. I don't want it to sound trite because I truly mean it. You all are the best. :)

Ok and on another note....I think that I am in love with and want to marry Arbitrary...'nuff said. :-P (If that doesn't get another chapter written on Temporary Insanity, I don't know what will...sigh)


	14. The Road to Love

Disclaimer is in Chapter One

Chapter 14: The Road to Love

* * *

Remus left the room after placing Hermione into a healing sleep and closed the door tightly behind him. Hermione had been so tired that she looked dead on her feet, a bit of a lie down would do both of them good. Draco couldn't avoid being helped just from the act of being in close contact with his mate.

* * *

Hermione had known she was dreaming even before anything really strange started to happen. She had known it the moment she opened her eyes and saw a pale building rising like a spire up above the horizon. It's reflective surface glittered in the pink tinged light. The building was the only point of destination on the bleak landscape, and Hermione was being taken to it.

It wasn't as if she was floating exactly, but it wasn't as if her feet were moving either. She seemed to just be getting closer to the building, as if the landscape itself was bending and folding to bring her ever nearer to the sharp reflective shell of the structure.

In the past, the moment she had realized she was dreaming she had been able to more or less control herself and her surroundings. This time she appeared to have no control. Nothing that she thought or said to herself, about it not being reality but just a dream, helped.

The building loomed ever closer and she could begin to make out markings on the smooth walls, broad slashes of colour, primitive shapes standing out starkly in the light.

The marks were like nothing she had seen before, yet Hermione's mind understood exactly what they indicated. Without thinking she started screaming and attempted to move her legs, anything to propel her away from that place. It wasn't right, she shouldn't be here, she didn't have any experience with things like this. She had never been trained.

Not only could she not control her legs, but if she closed her eyes she couldn't even really feel where her legs were in relation to her body. The feeling was so uncomfortable and unlike any that she had had before that she couldn't do anything but continue to scream as she was propelled forward.

The panic started rising in her as she realized that all the screaming in the world would do nothing to stall her steady movement forward. Her voice sounded harsh in her ears but the screaming never stopped.

It all changed when an overwhelming emotional pain washed over her making her nerve endings sing out. A loud roaring filled the air and her hair was whipped about her face stinging her flesh where it hit. The wind howled a terrible counterpoint to her screaming, calling to her, demanding she give in to it. Overwhelming longing filled her, the horrible pain pleasure of it all beat at the back of her skull and she was forced to take short gasping breaths as the torrent raged around her. She had a hard time keeping her breathing steady and bright spots formed before her eyes. Gulping in tiny bubbles of calm in the river of emotion flowing around her Hermione was starting to feel like a fish out of water. It wasn't enough, then it was too much.

Suddenly her only desire was to get to that building that only moments ago she had been screaming about being taken. There she would be safe. How she knew this she wasn't sure, but she knew it as surely as she had known anything in her life. If only she could reach safety and stop these feeling raging at her, in her. Safety. Safety.

The whole thing was beyond anything she had felt before, it was beyond what normal humans should be capable of bearing, her screaming reached a peak that started a fine line of cracks along the walls of the building, and that pleasure pain redoubled as if in response. It was too much, too much. Human sanity can only take so much...and then Hermione was sucked down into a blessed nothingness where nothing could hurt because there was...nothing.

* * *

It had taken Anne the entire day to realize that she was not about to be called into the Headmaster's office and reprimanded for her attempt at matchmaking. She no longer scuttled down the corridors as if the dementors were after her very soul, and yet with all the rumours flooding the school she was still worried. She didn't believe some of the wilder stories but how could she explain the fact that Professors Granger and Malfoy had yet to reappear?

Each day she carried a book bag full of Professor Granger's books. At night her back ached and it felt as if she had lost a good inch of growth, but she wasn't about to be caught unawares again. She would just have to keep her eyes and ears open she decided, she was still determined to get her precious books signed by her idol.

* * *

Hermione woke slowly, a soft diffused light making its way through her eyelids. She yawned and stretched. The bed underneath her was hard and cold, she hurt all over. It took her a few moments to realize that she wasn't in bed at all. Her eyes snapped open. She sat up and looked around.

Smooth grey walls spiralled upward so far she couldn't even see where they ended. Other than that there seemed to be very little else to see. There was no ornamentation on the walls. It was as bleak as it had looked from the outside, and it didn't feel comforting and safe as she wished, it felt wrong somehow.

It wasn't what she had expected really, if she had even known that this sort of thing was possible. She hadn't been trained in any of the Mental arts, as Harry had been. If she had thought to ask she would have been a bit better prepared, than she had been earlier, for entering Draco's mind.

As she had been drawn toward this place she had known what it was. There was no denying the pain and wild fear whipping around it. It appeared that Draco had made a last ditched effort to protect whatever was left of himself and wall it inside of this place, keeping it safe from the insanity and pain that had become his existence as the Veela part of him called. It was amazing that he had been able to do this at all, but Hermione could sense that he was indeed here, even though his presence was weak. That meant that he could be saved. Now she only had to find a way to wake herself up from this dreamscape into which he had drawn her. Then someone, someone else, she told herself, someone trained, could come back in and help him.

She could hear the winds battering against the walls, demanding entrance, demanding to be given everything. She could feel the pull of it, the allure, the horrible fear. She had felt that pain, and the horrible seduction of the it all and shuddered at the remembrance. And yet she had to go out there again. It was no good her staying here when she didn't know what she could do to help Draco, and having seen this, his soul, she knew he needed the help. For the first time she realized what he was fighting, everyday. Despair and sadness permeated those walls. 

Hermione started to get up tripping over long black skirts, as she got to her feet. She looked at herself, she was dressed in some sort of plain shift dress that covered her from neck to toes. It was a heavy wool and she suddenly noticed it itched horribly. The collar felt about three sizes too small but she resisted the urge to pull on it, and instead went to the walls and felt along them for any crease or crack in their smoothness, where had the cracks gone that she had seen outside? Had Draco sealed them up again? She searched with eyes and hands all around the room. There was no door, or anything to indicate a way out.

She couldn't give up looking; she must get out. At that thought she was in utter darkness. Her desire was to curl up on the floor and cry but instead started running her hands sightlessly over the stone as she went around the walls in a never ending circle.

It felt like hours and there was nothing. Swinging away from the wall with fury she took a step then another but instead of solid stone her foot stepped into air. Trying to gain her balance in the dark she wind milled her arms frantically leaning back toward where she knew the walls were. She fell and banged her head sharply against the wall, her body crumpled against the floor and she lost consciousness again.

* * *

Poppy looked at Hermione and Draco in concern. Hermione's breathing was fast and her heart rate was up. Draco meanwhile was not fairing better, as if sensing his mate's distress he was thrashing about in his bed, despite being drugged to the gills on sleeping draught.

The mediwitch paced the small room and debated getting the headmaster.

* * *

Hermione's head was killing her. She pushed her hand to her forehead and got slowly to her feet. When her head cleared she pressed herself back against the wall, in fear. She was perched on a thin ledge that wound itself upward around the walls in ever steeper circles. Somehow in the dark she had been slowly rising higher above the ground. She was now quite far from the ground standing on this narrow extension. What in the word was the point of this exercise? She leaned out again and carefully looked up; the ledge was circling around the walls so far upward that she couldn't see where it ended.

This was ridiculous, Draco needed help. Hermione was willing to admit that now. She could understand that some of this might be her fault, if she had know what he was fighting she might have…the thought trailed off. No that wasn't true, she had read all the literature. She knew what he was fighting. She hadn't cared. She had been worried about her own feelings and desires. Her own plans and wishes for the future, the future to which she wanted to cling no matter who it hurt. Now her feelings seemed so childish and selfish. She felt ashamed of herself. She hated that feeling. Her fist pounded against the wall behind her.

But knowing and feeling were two different things, it wasn't her fault. She had known in a logical way that it was hard for Draco but she hadn't felt this. Slowly as the realization filled her, she slid downward along the wall into a sitting position. Hermione's whole world had come to a grinding halt. All her life she had truly believed that all of life's answers could be found within the pages of a book, but feelings couldn't be adequately expressed or explained by words. She had travelled through life so very sure in her knowledge of her studies and her life's work. She had felt fulfilled because she hadn't known any better. It almost made her ashamed to realize how little she had given to the people who cared about her. She had loved them in an abstract sort of way. But having felt that battering overwhelming thing that Draco was fighting against she realized that the sort of love she had given was a very poor second to the real thing.

How long she sat there she didn't know, but what roused her was a crashing sound. She crept forward and leaned off the side of the ledge. The she was on her feet running up the winding pathway as quickly as she could. The ledge itself was falling away, section by section the rock fell away ever closer to where she had been crouched. It was clear her only escape was up, and so Hermione ran.

* * *

Remus could feel his heart beating faster than it should and he wiped sweaty palms on his trouser legs before knocking on Severus Snape's door. It was no good to let the other man brood. Severus Snape was better at self loathing than any person in Remus' wide acquaintance and Remus knew that if he didn't broach the subject there would be far reaching repercussions.

The door was thrust aside by a white faced Severus, his brows drawn over his eyes and a Snarky expression on his face.

"What in Merlin's name do you want Lupin?" The potion's master didn't move an inch or invite the other man inside.

"I think you know why I am here Severus." Remus tried a half smile, but it was quickly wiped away by the tightening of Severus lips before the man's face went back to a dull mask.

"I can't imagine what you could say that I would want to hear. Go away." Severus said it all his face devoid of emotion, so bland that it scared Remus all the more.

"Severus Snape you are a horrible liar, I have no idea how you made it out alive during the war its pathetic. Spy indeed. Hmph!" Remus pushed past the stunned and now muttering Severus and flopped himself down into an unforgiving hard backed chair.

"Lupin, get out of my rooms! I have no intentions of discussing anything with you." Severus hadn't moved from the door and it was clear he was now in a towering rage, a twitch had started by the side of one eye.

Good thought Remus, at least if we have a thunderous row and he can beat me to a pulp it will even the score a bit. Then maybe the air can be cleared and we can go to merely tolerating each other again. He opened his mouth to antagonize the other man more.

"Severus I…"

"Remus you are insufferable if you think that you can bait me into action this way, you and your childish Gryffindor friends might have used physical violence as a bonding tool. I do not." Snape shook his head.

"And I am pathetic? Now I suppose I will have to listen to you prattle on in your usual way, you will try to ply me with candy, we will give each other some sort of manly embrace and you will leave feeling as if you have done your duty. Why don't we just dispense with the first bits and you can just leave now?" Snape sat down facing Remus and they both glared for a few minutes.

When Remus showed no intention of leaving or speaking Severus sighed deeply and summoned a bottle of brandy, poured a bit into two snifters and levitated one to Remus.

They sat drinking silently staring into the flames of Severus' fire and came to a silent understanding. It seemed that the past was a subject that was better left dead. Remus knew that Ginny wouldn't find this the best option but it wasn't in a man's aspirations to sit and talk about his feelings for hours on end, if anything it was in his list of fears. So since Severus was willing to move past it then he was too.

* * *

The rock ledge was falling away faster and faster as Hermione ran, remaining only feet ahead of the void. Hadn't she heard somewhere that if you die in your dreams you die in real life? She didn't want to find out if that was true or not, and so she kept running.

* * *

Ginny and Poppy both watched in concern as Hermione and Draco thrashed on the bed. Something had to be done. They went together to talk to the Headmaster, this had to stop. He had to allow them to wake. Both patients were clearly distressed. Draco should be more at peace with his mate in contact, but since Hermione herself was obviously suffering this made Draco that more anxious.

* * *

Hermione stood bent over slightly with her hands on her knees. Her breath was coming in deep rasping gasps for air. She laughed at herself for a moment for wondering why she should be feeling the effects of physical activity if she was in this dreamscape. Clearly she controlled nothing here and she felt exactly as she was meant to feel. If it chose to be the real restraints of her usual lack of strenuous activity then that is what she felt.

The crashing behind her sounded closer and she knew she had to start moving again or risk having the ground fall out from under her. There was far more incline here than there had been, each curve around the walls was now a tighter steeper spiral. Around and around and around she goes, where she stops nobody knows…the singsong voice started in her head . As if being sucked into someone's dreaming mind wasn't enough, now she was going insane to top it all off.

She had lost track of the time or the steps she had taken, she lost track of the aching muscles, and the burning in her chest. The salty taste in her mouth that made her want to throw up was pushed away as she ran. The light headed swimming feeling flowed away and she seemed to float upward, legs churning, slippered feet pounding against stone, heavy skirts slapping her legs. She was a machine, one leg in front of the other she move without thinking.

Hours or years later, the path ended at a blank stone wall. It was so shocking that after all the running she would be faced with a dead end. It made no sense, she was forced to come here and there was no where to go. She had to be overlooking something. Hermione turned back around, the ledge continued to break away from the wall, and it was coming closer. Whipping around she examined the wall carefully. There was no break or crack to indicate an entrance. Hands scrabbled along the surface. Fists beat against solid stone. This whole thing was stupid. What was the point of this? The skin on her knuckles was raw and broken from the pounding, and still the wall remained as blemish free as it had. She raised both hands and slammed them against the wall in frustration. Tears flowed down her cheeks and she leaned against the wall in defeat.

Without thinking she opened her mouth and whispered.

"Draco let me in!" Immediately the stone under her changed and she pulled back. An elaborate door appeared before her and swung inward as she raised a hand to touch it. Hermione wiped the tears from her face and hurried through the door, not a moment too soon as the rest of the ledge fell away to nothing. She turned from that and found a long corridor, much longer than was physically possible given the fact that the building was a spire and very narrow at the top. And yet, there was a long corridor, a hallway of white stone, with niches holding lit candles. The air seemed to move as in breaths and the candle flames fluttered in unison to that invisible current. It should have scared her, but she could feel Draco there and for some reason feeling his presence comforted her in a way that made her feel more safe than she had since she was a small child. She felt secure and cared for, cherished, and it was all she could do not to put her cheek to the stone wall in a caress. She shook her head to clear it and started walking.

On and on, straight ahead the hall ran. No curves or turns to block that endless view. The air was sweet and made her feel slightly drugged. The urge to touch the stone overcame her and she trailed her hands along one side as she walked along, the other hand holding her skirts high above her knees.

"Mmmm." She sighed, an euphoric feeling made her drop her eyelids and walk without seeing where the path led. Her fingers kept trailing the wall helping her find her way, she let go of her skirts and both arms were held out touching the warmth of the stone, allowing it to permeate every part of her. When the warm air became cold she snapped her eyes open. Another door met her eyes, this one bolted from the outside. Chains criss-crossed over the surface, and large metal locks held the chains in place.

Again without thought Hermione raised her hands to the locks and at the heat of her touch they dissolved away. Leaving the bare wood, raw and unadorned. She smiled and the door swung inward.

Draco sat on the floor a long black robe covering him, and he clutched his knees to his chest and rocked back and forth. His voice a high pitched keening filled the room with his agony and pain. Hermione smiled again and flowed across the room to him, melting to the floor by his side and wrapping her arms around him, rocking him back and forth. Draco in the circle of her arms stopped crying and allowed his whole body weight to settle into Hermione until she was cradling him in her arms like an infant, trusting and innocent.

* * *

The group of grown wizards stood around the bed and looked down. Each with his/her own feelings on what the Headmaster was doing. Meanwhile the two people on the bed sheltered in each other's arm didn't even stir. For the first time in the two days that the headmaster had kept them in an enchanted sleep Hermione and Draco were lying quiescent , their bodies finally still.

Headmaster Dumbledore was strong with his opinion that it was better for both Draco and Hermione in the long run that neither woke until Draco was strong enough to try to rebuild his personality. No one disagreed with that part, the part no one seemed to be able to agree upon was just how long to keep them both in that healing sleep. How would they know when Draco was strong enough? How did they know if he was ever going to get well? What should they do then, keep them both in stasis indefinitely like some prince and princess in a fairy story?

Headmaster Dumbledore discounted that immediately and smiled his usual knowing look, stating that they would know when it was the right time. In the meanwhile, Poppy could go ahead and see to their physical needs and he would see to their emotional. The rest could teach the children as they had been hired to do.

With that dismissal the others filed out of the room with grumbles.

* * *

TBC

* * *

Ok here is the next bit, thanks for everyone bearing with me. I realize that it has taken ages to update. I have had some real life issues with which to contend. A real life? It sneaked up on me…I didn't even know I had one. ;)

Thanks for the reviews! You know I do appreciate them, and I love the discussions as to whether Hermione is waiting too long to give in. It makes me smile that people care enough to write and give their opinions. Hugs you all.

Arbitrary, finally huh?


	15. A Little of What You Fancy

Disclaimer: In Chapter One

Chapter 15: A Little of What You Fancy Does You Good.

* * *

When the room cleared of the other Hogwart's Professors and only Poppy and Albus Dumbledore stood looking at the two in the bed together Poppy turned to the headmaster. 

"Albus, I am not as easily placated as the others. Draco and Hermione seem to have settled now, but if I notice that they are in any physical danger I will awaken them myself." She hadn't ever spoken to him like that in the long years of their friendship.

"Poppy my dear, you needn't worry, the worst is over now. You will see, it will all turn out just the way we wish it. Lemon Sherbet?" She shook her head no and he turned and left the room.

Poppy stood looking down at the enchanted pair. They were oblivious to the world around them. She hoped that Albus was right. This was a very risky game they were playing. So much was at stake, not the least of which, the lives of the two in the bed.

* * *

Kneeling on a cold stone floor should be causing her feet to go to sleep or her knees to be hurting her.

Hermione should have become uncomfortable very quickly, with Draco's weight pressing into her. Even feeling Draco draped along her body should have felt wrong to her, but all around her a light radiating warmth and caring enveloped them both with a healing aura. She found herself smiling again for no good reason, her eyes closed and she breathed in Draco's scent. He smelled so good, like happiness, comfort, and hope…he smelled like Home.

The logical part of her mind, was trying to rebel and say that this wasn't happening, that she was NOT bonding with Draco Malfoy. She did NOT want to be his mate, and be subject to the will of the Veela instincts that she could, even now, hear battering against the protective walls of Draco's dreaming mind.

The logical part of her mind was trying to interject the feelings of unfairness, and remind her that her life and choices would be taken away if she did this. She would be nothing more than property to the arrogant Malfoy. But when Draco pulled back, his grey eyes purple rimmed with exhaustion and despair, he suddenly didn't represent anything that her logical mind was telling her.

"You came…you came…" Draco kept saying the words, his hands reaching toward her face to caress her cheek in disbelief. "You really came…it's really you…No, I'm dreaming again...it's never you…I'm just dreaming." He slumped forward his face nestled in her chest, and she could feel the tears soaking the black material of her dress.

"Draco…" Hermione tried to get her arms between them to push him off a bit, but he was too big for her to move. It was odd that she had been able to hold him up in the first place. This dreamscape was certainly picking and choosing which natural laws it had to follow, she thought with a grimace of the burning lungs of her run up the inclined ledge and wondered why it couldn't have elected to make that a little easier.

Perversity of the subconscious mind no doubt.

Draco's high pitched keening started again and Hermione realized that Draco assumed he was dreaming her as opposed to having pulled her sleeping consciousness into his own.

"Draco." She tried to shift him again. He didn't move.

"Draco!" Louder this time, but there was still no response from him.

"DRACO!" She pulled his head up by his silvery hair and yelled at him.

"Ouch!" He raised his eyes to hers and glared like a fractious child. Then a smile lit his lips. "It really is you, I never dream you doing things like 'that' to me." A wicked smirk covered his lips.

He dreamed about her, doing things, to him. Hermione could feel her face get hot, he DID NOT mean it how it sounded.

"Or that…I think I like it." He touched her cheeks again, indicating her blush.

Moments later Draco had leaned forward and gripped her in a fierce hug that made her feel as if her ribs were going to break, but she didn't push him away.

"I hoped that you would come, I called and called." He pulled back again. "I was so afraid Hermione…but you came." The light in his eyes captured hers as surely as his hands gripped her own.

They stayed kneeling across from each other, hands and eyes linked for long moments. The silence and the intensity of Draco's eyes started to make Hermione nervous.

"I'm keeping my job" She found herself saying into the quiet of the room. Why had she said an inane thing like that? It wasn't as if she was going to bond with him anyway, was it?

At her words Draco leaned back his head and laughed. That laughter was infectious and before she knew what she was doing she joined him.

* * *

Poppy kept a close eye on the vital statistics of Hermione and Draco. Draco had calmed a great deal with Hermione by his side, she couldn't find fault with Albus over that. She couldn't quite decide what it was that made her uneasy. Something didn't seem right though, there was a sort of familiar wrongness to it. Something she must have seen before.

She walked over to the window and stood thinking. Within moments she was standing over Hermione with a look of fear on her face. This couldn't be happening. There was only one way to find out if what she suspected was true.

She bustled out of the room and went through to her office to fire call Severus.

* * *

They were now sitting side by side, their backs against a wall, when Draco broke the silence. They were sitting on the floor, as there was no furniture in the room .

"How did you get here?" Draco turned his head and looked at Hermione, she could feel a spark between them when their eyes met. Hurriedly she looked away.

"I'm really not sure, I just woke up out there." Hermione and Draco could hear the pounding and scrabbling on the walls. A shiver ran through her. There was only one way to bring Draco back and that was to go through that.

"I think you must have called me somehow. The Veela side must have dragged me in here, I didn't know it could have a physical pull like that." She looked over at Draco who hastily averted his eyes.

"What is it Draco?"

He muttered something under his breath that she couldn't hear.

"What?"

"I called you here." He turned to look at her.

"I think we just established that." She tried to lighten the mood by teasing him slightly.

He put his hands over his face.

"No, I mean I called you here. To Hogwarts. I was the reason you came back." He didn't look at her this time.

"What do you mean Draco? I came back because I felt...homesick..." It sounded odd to her when she said it outloud like that.

"In the middle of your book tour? Does that sound like something you would have done normally Hermione?" Draco's face was an emotionless mask, silver eyes burning with fever light.

"How did you?" She couldn't seem to be able to understand what he was saying.

"I searched for you, I found you, I used my Veela charms to plant a thought into your mind and I plotted to make you mine. Don't you see I took away your free will. I saw what I wanted and I took it." He finished the last with frightening intensity.

Was he trying to make her afraid of him? Was he trying to make her think he had become a monster. Why was he saying this, now when she was starting to see how hard this must have been for him to hold himself back. Fighting against his genetic instincts had done this to him, and here he was trying to...trying to...she wasn't sure just what he was trying to do actually. Self destructive behaviour was a much more Harry thing to do, but didn't think he would appreciate her likening him to her best friend so she just kept that observation to herself.

"Draco what exactly are you saying?"

"What I am saying HERMIONE is that the Veela allure has the power to make you do whatever it wants. The power over thousands of miles of distance to call you, the power to bring you into my mind. The power to make you my servant if I wanted it."

"And so you are telling me that you have been using your powers? Making me go against my will?" Draco wouldn't meet her eyes.

"Draco, I have no idea what you are trying to do here, but if you had used your Veela charms on me with no thought to my own feelings, we wouldn't be in this situation right now. So if you want me to hate and blame you, well I don't think I can anymore. I have felt a bit of the pain and strength of that out there and I have no idea how you kept it at bay this long. What good is your telling me this going to do? Right now we have to find a way for you to be able to control the Veela side of you, long term."

He had to be able to gain back control of his Veela instincts and reclaim himself.

"You don't blame me anymore now, do you?" All the tension flooded out of his body, and he slumped further down the wall.

"I never wanted it to go like this; you know that now don't you?" Draco's voice sounded hopefull.

"I know Draco, I think I have always known it. I didn't blame you exactly, it's just that none of this fit in with my ideas for my future. I didn't want to be anyone's shadow, especially…yours." She smiled ruefully at him.

"I didn't want my life to change. In the light of all that has happened I guess that that sounds selfish." Hermione trailed off.

"It doesn't sound selfish to me, you should have seen me when I found out I was to come into my Veela inheritance. It was such a shock, I had assumed that since my mother hadn't had enough blood to call a mate, then I wouldn't be faced with it either. I threw a fit the likes of which hadn't been seen since my parent's divorce." At his mention of his reaction to his parents separation, Hermione snorted a bit indelicately.

"Sorry." Was all she could manage, before she was laughing heartily at his expense.

"It's not THAT funny." Draco glared at her.

"Yes it is." Hermione said between chuckles.

"You're right, it is." Draco grimaced he hadn't taken his parents' split well at all, and had made a complete arse of himself when told of it. He still couldn't look back on it without feeling waves of embarrassment, a feeling he hated.

It got quiet and Hermione was aware once again of the storm outside.

"Draco, what are we going to do about that?"

He cocked his head, listening.

"I'm not sure. I know that this sanctuary I built won't last. My dark arts training has been good for something. I guess I'm lucky that I was raised to be paranoid enough that my mind automatically walled off bits of myself. If not…" He didn't finish the sentence, but Hermione knew well enough what he meant if he had been consumed completely by the Veela instincts there would have been nothing of this Draco Malfoy left.

"I could try to block the Veela feelings off again. I suppose." He sighed.

"It's not enough to wall it up, you have to be able to control THAT out there. That side of you has been denied for too long."

"I know. I will just have to figure out how to fight it off somehow." The despair was back in his voice.

"What should we do?" Hermione put the question to him again, never noticing that she had included herself in the equation.

* * *

Severus Snape stood at his caldron, carefully timing the potion he was making. It was fortunate that he was a master with years of delicate potion making behind him; his hands knew exactly what to do by rote. His mind, meanwhile, was in turmoil. He had been less than pleased when Lupin had shown up in his rooms to have a heart to heart, but had borne it as gracefully as he could. At least the man hadn't started blubbering and sharing confidences with him. If that had happened it may well have driven Severus to take violent action, something he said Lupin couldn't goad him into taking.

As if that wasn't enough, there was Albus. He loved the man as a father, but a daft and aging father it seemed. The man had put two people into some 'fairytale' like enchanted sleep and now it seemed that Hermione's consciousness had become trapped within Draco's.

He finished his potion and decided to do the one thing he didn't want to ever do, call Harry Potter.

* * *

"Ok, I can't guarantee but this might work, are you willing to take the risk?" Draco clasped Hermione closer to himself.

At Draco's words Hermione nodded, but she was scared. What had seemed like a good plan only minutes ago wasn't seeming so now.

Before she could tell him that she had changed her mind and didn't want to have to wake up ever again if it meant going out through the storm of Veela emotions, Draco let his go of his tight hold on the mental walls he had built. The walls to the building started to fade before her eyes and in moments they were standing on a stone platform high above the ground. When it too started to crack and groan Hermione couldn't help but clutch Draco tighter.

"Close your eyes Hermione, I will keep us safe."

She did close her eyes and put her head in the crook of Draco's neck. She didn't want to see how high they were, or how far they were plummeting to the ground. However, they didn't seem to plummet because Draco was pulling back from her and they were now on the same grassy plain where Hermione had first entered Draco's mind. The bubble of mental protection that Draco had put around them seemed to be holding.

"Now do you remember where it was that you awoke?" Draco was looking around the landscape, but now without the building in the horizon there was no way for Hermione to orient herself. It seemed they were standing in sea of grass, nothing else visible from horizon to horizon.

Hermione turned around looking to see if there was anything that might help her distinguish one blade of grass from the next.

"This is pointless." She turned back around to face Draco. Why had they thought this would help anyway?

What had they hoped to accomplish by finding it? It seemed illogical now to think that Hermione could just leave the dreamscape by the same means she had entered it, when they didn't even know how or why she was there in the first place. It was obvious that Draco had called her somehow, but to pull her into his own sleeping mind wasn't something that either of them had known was possible, without strong spells or potions.

She was still looking around aimlessly, when Draco reached out and pulled her to him, forcing her against his chest.

"So...sorry…" He muttered and she had no other warning than this before she felt the bubble of mental protection around them crumble.

The wave of emotion poured over them both and she felt herself pulled out of Draco's arms. To have a feeling manifest itself in such a physical way like this was stunning to Hermione, and she realized finally how hard it must have been for Draco everyday to keep a part of himself walled off.

Hermione heard a strange metallic buzzing in her ears that resolved itself into voices telling her to succumb to the things she was feeling, it was so overpowering that she wasn't able to keep to her feet and fell to her knees and scrabbled along the ground trying to get away from the seduction of those words. When she was finally able to stand again, and tried to run, she found that her legs weren't hers to command anymore.

She put her hands over her ears to try to block out the things that the voices were telling her, and noticed that her body was slowly rotating. In moments she could see Draco again, he was fighting as hard as she was, his pale hair was whipping around his head in a torrent. She watched as he put a hand to his head and fell to one knee, only to rise again with pain evident in his eyes. The voices were whispering seductive promises to her and she felt her will slowly dissolve with the strength of emotion. How had Draco ever denied this? How had he controlled his Veela side to the point that he had been able to keep it walled off for so long?

Her body started to move forward toward his without her legs moving, it was like it had been in the beginning of the dream when she had been taken to the building in which Draco had been walled. It was clear that Draco was in some considerable pain and Hermione could feel her heart pounding in her chest at the look on his face.

By instinct alone Hermione stepped forward of her own volition, no more was she being taken to Draco, she was walking toward him on her own power. She moved with confidence toward him, not giving the force of the Veela instincts any notice. She had her arms around him and her lips to his before he could say anything.

He tried to pull away from her, but when she wouldn't allow him to move, he clutched at her shoulders and kissed her back. It wasn't a tender kiss, but one filled with tongues and teeth, savage and needy with wanting. When neither could breathe anymore they stood gasping in each other's arms. Draco leaned his forehead to hers.

A warmth rushed through Hermione and she lifted her lips to Draco again. He tried to hold back before opening his mouth to her and they once again fell to the hungry open mouthed kisses. There was a sudden silence around them that made them both pull back.

"It's too late Hermione, I'm sorry…I don't think I can deny it…I'll try…to fight…" Draco's eyes rolled up and he fell backward, pulling her with him.

They landed in a tangle of arms and legs on the ground, Hermione on top of Draco's still form. She tried to shake him, but he wasn't coherent.

"Draco! Draco!" She tried calling and shaking him, there was no answer.

A shriek filled the air, shockwaves of sound echoing along the dreamscape. Hermione sat back on her heels in fright, as Draco began to shake uncontrollably. His arms and legs shook, and his eyelids fluttered, the eyeball roving back and forth behind his closed eyelids like a manic R.E.M. sleep movement.

"Draco!" Hermione called again as she felt the Veela instincts roar over her, the pain was sharp enough to send her flat to the ground yet again. All she could do was whimper and clutch her head hoping that the pain would stop, that she would be strong enough to resist.

She must resist, there was no other way.

Then inch by inch she could feel her determination fade away until she lie passive and unmoving on the ground. It was in that state of utter despair and exhaustion that she felt the pain turn into something else entirely. A feeling of completeness, the likes of which she had never felt before, slowly started to fill her.

She could feel the prick of tears come to her eyes as the overwhelming sense of belonging washed over her.

It was then that she knew what she needed to do.

She got to her knees and was taken aback by the fact that everything was infused with a strange light.

Draco with his face flushed and his breathing uneven was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen in her life. She needed him more than she could even imagine. How had she not seen this ages ago? She couldn't even remember her most ardent objections, this was right. This was the way it should be, except for the part where he was lying unconscious fighting the bonding, but hat was something she could change.

Hermione crawled over to Draco and pulled his unresisting form to her. His eyelids were still fluttering and his face was covered in a fine sheen of sweat that made his luminescent skin glow all the move. Her breath caught in her throat a his body pressed to hers. This was her mate. Draco Malfoy was her mate. Hers.

She leaned down and whispered into his ear. "Draco, embrace it. Don't fight, embrace it."

At her words a shudder went through him, and he opened his eyes. They stayed looking at each other for long moments feeling the Veela part of them flow in and out and around. Swirling bright colours of acceptance and love, and want and need, surrounded them. Draco raised one hand and put it against Hermione's cheek in such a tender gesture that Hermione felt herself drift down to him, his arms folding around her.

Time seemed insignificant as they held each other, strengthening the bond that now connected them.

* * *

"You've removed the enchantment?" Harry looked sharply at Dumbledore, Snape ALMOST gave an evil chuckle at the look of censure the 'boy hero' gave Albus.

The headmaster nodded, his face a grim mask, none of his usual twinkle visible.

"Hermione, at least, should have been awake by now." Poppy's voiced.

"Idiotic idea." Severus muttered to himself before noticing that Remus was glaring a warning at him. Well it was stupid and now (as usual) Severus would be called upon to rise to the occasion and save everyone yet again, even the thinking of it was becoming redundant.

He caught Harry's eye and they both nodded.

This was the only way. He pulled out a bottle of newly brewed potion from deep in his jacket pocket and handed it across the bed to Harry, then dragged his cloak off and moved to join the younger man.

The rest of the group edged back and openly watched as Severus and Harry prepared to enter the mind of a sleeping Draco Malfoy.

Severus hadn't thought that once the Dark Lord had been killed that there would be much use for the dark arts he had been forced to teach the boy. Of course Harry was a man now he begrudgingly conceded. A sneer lifted his lip; he had hated working with Harry then and he hated it now. There had never been a question that Harry wouldn't be willing to try this, with one of his two best friends lying on the bed like that. Stupid Gryffindor. What he hadn't counted on was that he would be required to assist the brat. He had assumed that one of the other trained wizards would help and he could step aside.

That assumption had proven to be very wrong indeed. Since Harry and he had worked together before, the Headmaster had stated that they would work together now. It would be faster and easier than trying to get anyone else into the position that would facilitate the bond that had already been built between Severus and Harry. Snape could tell Albus wouldn't have accepted any negotiation on the matter, so had given in more or less gracefully.

Harry measured out a small amount of potion into two glasses, placing them carefully on the table by the bed. He stroked Hermione's frizzy hair off of her forehead and turned an unsmiling face toward Severus.

"Now that your touching display is over, are you ready to begin?" Severus sneered. The room became unnaturally quiet as everyone waited to see what the impetuous Harry would react to the baiting.

Harry said nothing only motioned Snape to the table and they picked up their cups of potion at the same time as if they had practiced it a thousand times. Which thinking back on the last couple of days, they probably had.

In the past a potion hadn't been necessary for them to utilize their dark magics together, but Harry had been married and bound to a partner and they now needed something to temporarily block the magic of that spouse. After more than a few attempts, during practice, that had had to be aborted, they had decided to take the potion.

Severus counted to ten slowly with a deep breath and drank the potion down, he could see Harry out of the corner of his eye doing the very same thing. The next instant he could feel something snap to attention in his mind and the strong whirling sensation of falling.

It had been decided that Harry would be master on this journey and Severus the back up reserve of power needed to break Draco's defences and a steady influence in case of resistance on withdrawal.

* * *

Hermione leaned in and kissed Draco's closed eyelids, and they fluttered softly, his eyelashes a slash of golden colour against his pale cheeks. Draco was sleeping, resting his head warm and heavy in her lap.

Hermione took the time to look around and marvel at the change the landscape had taken after they had both embraced the Veela bond between them. Rolling hills of flowers coloured the horizon line, butterflies flying contentedly above them sipping the nectar, before moving on to the next. She was sitting with her back against a tree and there was a brook bubbling happily nearby. She knew it was all a dream, but one in which she wouldn't mind staying forever.

Draco and she had half heartedly looked around for a way to remove Hermione from Draco's sleeping mind and back where she belonged, but it hadn't seemed as important as walking together, or talking, or holding hands, or kissing. Not important at all in the face of spending eternity with Draco. With Draco, in his mind like this, being one with him, in all ways. She realized that not having her own body might be, perhaps a bit inconvenient at times, but right now it seemed a price worth paying.

Hermione sighed and closed her eyes; contentment flowed over her in soft waves and she drifted happily along in its' warmth.

* * *

Severus could feel the draw on his power and his first inclination was to snap all his shields into place forcing the intruder out. That of course was a short lived thought and he allowed Harry further access to his source magic along the conduit that bound them. He hadn't realized how much force Harry had developed the last few years and the few days of practice hadn't utilized either of their full magical capabilities. Now though Severus didn't think that Harry would ever stop drawing on him, until he found himself suddenly on the floor of the infirmary. Harry in apparent trance stood by him his eyes staring unseeing at the wall opposite the bed.

Poppy rushed over with a restorative and Severus gulped it down with less caution than he would usually exhibit. But they had such a finite amount of time before Severus would be needed to help draw Harry back out again. It was an inelegant plan, little more than a snatch and grab into Draco's mind. Never the less it was all they really had right now.

* * *

The lips that were nuzzling at Hermione's neck were causing frissons of shock to wander down her spine.

"Mmm…" Was all she could seem to manage.

She had never realized how many places she liked being touched, and Draco's mouth seemed to find each and every one of them. A thrill filled her as he shifted her harder against the tree, an hand wandered up under Hermione's heavy skirt, caressing its' way along her thigh. His forehead butted lightly against her nose as he raised his head and they both smiled at the awkward moment. Then they were devouring each other again in passion, mouths and hands full of each other, yet never quite close enough.

Draco moved his body back a fraction of an inch, his mouth not losing contact with hers, and started to ease her down to the ground.

As her knees made contact with the soft bed of grass beneath them, Draco moved his arm up around her back and pulled sharply making Hermione lose her balance and fall onto him. His arms wound themselves tightly across her back and her chest was crushed to his. His hands roamed her back from the nape of her neck to the base of her spine. The leisurely pattern was driving her crazy with desire.

When he reached between them and started to open the buttons that now decorated the front of her dress, she moaned and moved up to give him better access.

At the sound of her passion Draco raised lust filled eyes to her face. Those eyes widened momentarily and Hermione felt a strong arms come from behind her and wrap across her stomach. It all happened so fast that she was up and away from Draco before either of them could do anything.

"Noooo!" Was all she could think to yell as Harry and Severus dragged her forcibly from Draco's sleeping mind.

* * *

Harry came to himself on the floor with a sputtering Severus Snape on top of him. That wasn't a place he had ever wanted to be, and could say with a high percentage of surety wouldn't happen again. They both quickly disentangled themselves from each other and stood up. Harry went to Hermione's side and placed a hand on her forehead, letting his mind drift to her. Everything felt as it should, she was back where she belonged now. He could see Severus doing the same thing with Draco.

"They appear to be separated for now, we may want to move them out of contact for a while. If Draco was able to draw her into himself that easily it could happen again. I saw what they had created in there, and it won't be something either of them will be willing to give up without a fight. It was only the element of surprise that saved us this time." Harry spoke to the room at large and noticed once again Severus Snape was nodding his agreement.

They spent some minutes preparing Hermione to be levitated, after it was determined that Draco wouldn't become erratic at the loss of touch of his mate. Harry followed as his best friend floated to her new bed in the outer infirmary ward.

Lucius Malfoy stood just outside the doorway waiting to go see Draco. He was leaning nonchalantly against the wall, his long hair held back from his face with one of his usual silk black bows, which somehow did nothing to detract from his masculine presence. Harry watched as the other man's eyes glided over Hermione in a condescending fashion. Lucius was incredibly arrogant, and still after all these years it made Harry's blood boil. Neither time nor the fact that Lucius had switched sides before the great battle had changed the man's mind in the least about muggle born wizards. He was still a snob.

Draco and Hermione would have their work cut out for them with him. Of course Harry was willing to do all he could to help settle things without too much of a fight.

Lucius noticed Harry's glare and smirked raising one elegant eyebrow at him, before entering the room where Draco lie sleeping.

The look on Harry's face wasn't one that boded well for the elder Malfoy.

* * *

TBC

* * *

Well folks, here is another instalment. Normally I would try to read it through a few more times to find the worst of the errors, I really do not have time, I figured you all would be ok with getting SOMETHING as opposed to waiting another month for a better beta-d copy of the chapter. If I am wrong, don't let me know...lol 

We are winding it down now, just a couple more chapters and a super CHEESY epilogue that will be an optional read, not important to the story, but a pretty little bow on top.

Naturally thanks for the Reviews! :) You all are the best. I love the reference to my story being like a train wreck, made me smile actually. Sad that I take that as a compliment isn't it?

To those of you that wrote me emails, I am sorry to have not responded to each one personally, things are crazy around here. I have moved three times this year and with changing careers it is killing me off. I have busy doing art for money...which takes precedence over writing for fun, but I will get a response to you, it just might be a while.

To those of you that mentioned you would like to see more Draco's Inheritance. I will get back to it, (eventually) I just have to read it and remember where I was going with things...I have a rough outline but it has been so long, I am not sure where I am in the story.

To the Americans in the crowd Happy Thanksgiving. To my best mate in the world...Happy Birthday...not that he reads this sort of thing, mind you, but I have to put the Birthday wishes out into the universe for him anyway.

Ergh, long author's note. Ok signing off...but before that......Arbitrary where are you mate? Hope all is well.


	16. Bonds and Boundaries Tested

The rumours of this story's death were only slightly exaggerated. This is obviously an AU since Draco is a Veela, so I won't apologize for pretending as if book six never happened.

Thanks to everyone who has kept the vigil on this story's deathbed, it may rally yet. (lol)

Disclaimer in Chapter One

Chapter 16: Bonds and Boundaries Tested

* * *

Draco woke like a swimmer breaking water, fast and looking for the next breathe. He sat up in bed and gasped in gulps of air. It took him a few moments to notice he was not alone. In a chair by the bed, with his silver-topped cane leaning against his leg, sat his father, and by the window stood his mother. He looked around the room bewildered, the infirmary? Why was he here? He couldn't seem to remember.

They both turned at the sound of him moving, their faces twin masks of concern. He hadn't seen them in the same room together since his mother had left his father during his sixth year. He must have been more ill than he had imagined.

"Draco!" Narcissa moved toward him her arms out.

"Leave him alone Narcissa." At Lucius' words, his mother stopped and glared.

"He is MY son I shall do just as I please." She sniped back.

"He isn't a child anymore; there is no need to smother him." Lucius sneered.

"Smother? I don't smother my son…"

Draco tuned them out; it was typical that they would take any opportunity to throw around barbs at each other. He knew they could go on like this for hours. To be honest he was a bit more inclined to side with his father, he had seen how broken his father had been after his mother had left him. Draco had been there to try to pick up the pieces when she had moved out. It had taken years before Lucius had been able to love again. Draco realized that if anyone had heard his thoughts they would have laughed aloud, Lucius Malfoy, the self-possessed arrogant man, broken? Not likely, but it had been the case. His mind drifted back to the present and realized his parents were still throwing insults around.

They appeared to be in fine form, and none of it was helping to cease the pounding in his head. He sat in the bed listening to his parents until finally he had had enough.

"Stop!"

Both of his parents turned their attention to him once more, this time the look of concern replaced by a look of censure, neither of them was used to him speaking to them like that. He must have looked worse than he thought when they both tempered their parental instincts and smiled gently at him.

"We are sorry, my darling. Your father and I are beasts." His mother sat on his bed and took his hand in hers all the while shooting daggers at Lucius.

"Why am I here?" He couldn't seem to remember much of the last few weeks as it was.

He noticed 'the look' his parents shot each other at his question.

"What?" His tone was sharper than he intended.

His parents looked at each other again. This was getting annoying now.

"Quit looking at each other just answer me!" He yelled.

That seemed to get his parents' attention.

"What do you remember last?" His father asked him.

"I…I…uh…" Draco couldn't remember…anything, recent.

"How do you feel?" His mother prompted.

"I feel horrible, my head is pounding."

"Draco, not that. How are you feeling?" His mother tightened her hand around his; the intensity in her gaze strangely frightened him.

"What are y…?" Just as he started talking he did feel something, he felt Hermione, felt her presence in his mind.

The tearing emotional Veela side that he had been trying to 'control' for months was lying quiescent. That meant only one thing; somehow, he had bonded with Hermione. She was in his mind now, and he in hers. There was no longer that desperation of having to fight his blood instincts. How could that be? There had been no ritual, no marriage, at least not that he remembered. He put his hand to his pounding head and pressed, but as hard as he tried, he couldn't remember.

"What is going on?" He knew he sounded panicky.

The look his parents shot each other struck him as funny all of a sudden and a snort escaped him.

Before he knew it Draco was laughing and couldn't seem to be able to stop, for some reason. He thought that perhaps he was a bit hysterical.

His parents must have called for Poppy, because he saw her face above his as she administered something for him to drink, then all faded to black.

* * *

Severus had not stopped pacing since retreating to his dungeons. Due to the potion he was still bound to Harry, for the next…he looked at the clock…twelve hours. There was no way he was going to survive that next twelve hours if Harry did not stop moping over the temporary blocking of his spouse in his mind.

They had both been very aware of the consequences of their actions, and Harry had been only too happy to suggest they take the potion when his Miss Granger had been at risk.

Of course, in typical Gryffindor fashion it was now, after the fact, that the annoying boy would be having second thoughts. Though not spoken Severus was still an unwilling party to Harry's silent brooding, because of their blasted bond.

Severus knew he was not about to go back up to the hospital wing and hold Potter's hand, so there had to be something he could do to block some of the younger man's angst from his own consciousness. He supposed he should feel fortunate that they had not used the stronger potion that would have given them verbal mind-to-mind contact, feelings were more than enough. Severus had a cold chill run over him at the idea of being able to read Harry Potter's THOUGHTS.

After long minutes of pacing, an aborted attempt at reading, and some slamming of doors he grabbed a hangover potion from the storeroom, the bottle of whiskey he kept way in the back of his cupboard, and sat in his chair. Contemplating the flames crackling away in the fireplace, he settled in for the duration and steadily filled the glass, drinking until he could not feel Harry in his mind anymore.

* * *

Harry Potter was in Hogwarts, as was Lucius Malfoy; Anne had recognized them as they had run past her, up the main staircase, two days ago. She had known them instantly from their pictures in the 'Daily Prophet' and her prized copy of 'Hogwarts a Brand New and Almost Completely Accurate History'. They had been heading toward the hospital wing and she hadn't seen them since, any time a student attempted to loiter near that part of the castle they were strongly urged away.

She remembered she had stood staring after them, before turning to walk the rest of the way to the Great Hall for breakfast, which was where she was heading right now. She had only gone a few steps when Professor McGonagall and a tall, blond woman swept past in a cloud of perfume. Anne rotated slowly in place to watch the women, they where trailed by no less than four house elves wearing fringed velvet pillowcases. She couldn't stop herself from staring again until the strange group was out of sight. The woman's pointy chin and slanted eyes made it obvious that she was Professor Malfoy's mother.

Both of Professor Malfoy's parents and the famous Harry Potter were in Hogwarts. What on earth could be happening?

Anne hurried the rest of the way to the great hall, squeezing between the groups of gossiping students. Strangely, there were no Professors urging them on toward their breakfasts.

The Great Hall looked as it always did, trays of food sat on each house table and hungry students sat filling their plates. The difference was that only Professor Lupin was sitting at the head table, and he looked very much as though he wished he was anywhere else.

Anne sat quietly eating her toast with marmalade and listened to the whispered conversations around her. People were saying that they had seen Dumbledore and Snape running; that information coupled with Anne having seen Harry Potter, Lucius Malfoy and Professor Malfoy's mother added to the mystery.

She ate quietly her mind filled with questions.

* * *

Harry was well aware that he was making things inconvenient for Severus and he didn't mean to. It was just that he had been married now for five years and to have his spouse displaced from his mind and Severus suddenly there was far more uncomfortable than he had imagined.

In the heat of the moment with Hermione's life at stake, he had been willing to do whatever it took, and he had done. Only now he was paying for it. It wasn't that Severus was the horrible person he remembered as a child it was simply that Severus was not his idea of a bond mate, someone with whom to share his mind and soul. No indeed the very idea made him shudder.

He wanted nothing more than to run home and put miles of distance between himself and Severus for the next few hours, but instead he was sitting here with his hand in Hermione's while she slept. Even in sleep her hand was clutching his convulsively, and in truth, it made him feel better about her situation. If he had contact with her, then he could stop her from being swept away into Draco's mind if that situation should arise again.

He was sitting looking out the window when he felt something strange. Severus Snape was elated. Harry had never seen Severus as much as smile let alone show the true happiness that was flowing through their mark.

The Headmaster should be alerted; the link was obviously having an adverse influence on Severus' behaviour.

* * *

No one was telling them anything, and there was an undercurrent of thinly disguised panic in the hallways.

When they had shown up for potion's class, the wards were all up and there appeared to be singing coming from the Professor Snape's private rooms.

Standing with the clutch of other bewildered students, Anne clutched her bag of precious books closer. Professor Snape had never been late for lessons, let alone missed one; everyone looked at each other not saying a word.

* * *

"Please don't make me regret not giving you over to Professor Snape's Friday night detention Mr. Collins. I don't want to see you in _this_ corridor again unless you are bleeding out of your ears."

"Sorry Professor Lupin." The sheepish boy ran down the staircase to where his sniggering friends were hiding. Remus sighed and shook his head, sometimes he regretted his werewolf senses, life would be easier if he couldn't hear everything within a 50 metre radius, including his wife's footsteps pacing behind the closed door of the infirmary.

Before his hand touched the door, it was opened and Poppy came out, closely followed by Albus.

"Headmaster." Remus nodded.

"Remus my dear boy." Albus turned to him and stopped. "Perhaps…"

"Headmaster, please." Poppy gave them a stern look.

"Yes, I feel you are correct Poppy. Well Remus I will wish to speak with you later…later." And with those words, they walked away with mention of Severus and happy.

It seemed as if everyone had gone crazy the last few weeks if only Draco hadn't come into his inheritance to start with, none of this would be happening.

Harry was still sitting by the side of Hermione's bed just as he had been when Remus had seen him last. Ginny was pacing but turned when he entered the room.

"Remus, did you see the Headmaster?" She came to him, and he gathered her in his arms.

"Yes…I saw him and Poppy as well they were…" He trailed off at the look on her face. "What's happening?" He shot a glance at Harry who was staring out the window, his hand tightly in Hermione's.

"Severus feels happy." Harry muttered without turning his look from the window.

"Harry thinks Severus is having an adverse reaction to the potion and bond."

"Why, what?" Remus looked between them confused.

"He said that Severus felt happy."

Remus' stomach lurched at her words. Happy? Severus Snape had not so much as cracked a smile since the day he was spawned. How could he feel happy? Severus was the most bottled up person he had ever met, if his walls had finally come down it was bound to go south, fast. Remus knew he was possibly the closest person to Severus, he decided he better go lend a hand to Albus and Poppy.

"I will go catch up with Albus and see if I can help." He turned and moved with smooth preternatural strides, not quite running, but moving swiftly in order to join the Headmaster and Poppy before they reached Severus' rooms.

He knew there were students moving out of his ways with something like fear in their eyes but he didn't slacken his pace only gave them his bland safe teacher's smile.

The Headmaster didn't look surprised to see him when he joined them in their downward journey.

The group of students outside the Potion's classroom gave them pause for a moment. Finally, Albus motioned him toward them and he and Poppy continued.

"Well should we stand around in this damp place, do you think?" He smiled at small group.

"Come; let's take this out to the sunshine." He turned and walked away fully expecting that they would follow and they did. He was hopeful that the Headmaster and Poppy would be able to deal with Severus themselves.

* * *

It took ten minutes for Albus and Poppy to break through the heavy wards on Severus' rooms. When they finally broke through Albus wished that he had lent a hand with the potion's class instead of sending Remus to do it. He had encountered more uncomfortable situations in the last few days than he had in the whole of any of the previous years. His signature eye twinkling was being sorely tested.

The usually dour potion's master was lying flat on the floor of the room, his dark robes open and disarrayed enough to show a view of thin hairy legs, and knobbly knees. It was such a vast departure from his usual meticulous modesty that both Albus and Poppy were motionless.

Upon noticing them in his rooms, Severus raised his arm and waved in a drunken fashion. Poppy immediately set about to take his vitals and Albus stood thinking about which 'Oblviate' charm he could best use to wipe this out of Severus' memory. He could only imagine how humiliated Severus would be when he sobered up and the pain and suffering to which every inhabitant of the castle would be subject, when that moment occurred.

Albus was interrupted from his contemplation of spells, by the sound of muffled cries of help. Albus turned and blinked his eyes a couple of times to make sure they were indeed giving the correct information, yes the scene still looked the same. Perhaps his mind was the faulty organ for it seemed that Severus had Poppy in an ardent embrace, kissing her with a passion that had her eyes wide open in shock.

Oh yes, this was definitely a moment for the use of a memory charm! Albus hurried to disentangle the two, before Poppy could get her wand trained properly.

* * *

TBC

One more chapter and the Epilogue.


End file.
